Savarkar defamation case: Special court in Pune orders Rahul Gandhi to appear personally on Dec 2

In April past year, Savarkar’s grandnephew Satyaki Savarkar filed a ailment earlier a magistrate tribunal successful Pune against Rahul Gandhi, MP Rae Bareli successful Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Savarkar successful London connected March 5, 2023.

On September 21, 2024, the lawsuit was transferred to the MP/MLAs court. Special justice Amol Shinde of MP/MLAs tribunal had connected October 4, 2024 issued a summons to Rahul, stating that, “Whereas your attendance is indispensable to reply to a complaint of offence punishable nether conception 500 of Indian Penal Code, you are hereby required to look successful idiosyncratic (or by pleader, arsenic the lawsuit whitethorn be)” earlier the magistrate connected October 23, 2024.”

But Gandhi did not look arsenic the summons did not scope him. “The tribunal past again issued a summons asking Rahul Gandhi to look connected November 18. This summons was issued to him by station and it was received by him. We submitted the online way study and station receipts to the tribunal showing that the summons has reached Rahul Gandhi,” said Satyaki lawyer Sangram Kolhatkar.

But Gandhi did not look earlier the tribunal today.

Advocate Milind Pawar told the tribunal that helium had been instructed by Rahul Gandhi’s bureau to look connected his behalf.

Pawar submitted an “appearance pursis” on with an exemption exertion and requested the tribunal to see it adjacent though helium had not filed a vakalatnama representing Rahul Gandhi.

Pawar submitted that summons for Gandhi was received by his office, but being the LoP successful Lok Sabha and due to the fact that of predetermination campaigns successful antithetic states successful the past 2 months, Rahul could not look earlier court. Pawar assured the tribunal that Rahul Gandhi would stay contiguous for the adjacent hearing.

Advocate Kolhatkar filed an exertion requesting the tribunal to contented a non-bailable warrant against Rahul Gandhi.

He submitted that Gandhi was convicted successful a defamation lawsuit by a tribunal successful Gujarat past year. After proceeding some sides, the MP/MLAs tribunal passed an bid directing Rahul Gandhi to personally look earlier it connected December 2.

The defamatory comments

According to Satyaki, “Rahul Gandhi had successful London said that (Vinayak Damodar) Savarkar had written a publication successful which helium stated that helium (Savarkar) and 5 oregon six of his friends were beating up a Muslim and felt delighted astir what was happening. Rahul Gandhi past went connected to inquire whether this was not a cowardly act… But Savarkar has not written immoderate specified publication arsenic claimed by Rahul Gandhi, nor has specified an incidental ever happened.”

In his petition, Satyaki stated, “…He (Gandhi) has intentionally made false, malicious and chaotic allegations against Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, afloat knowing the said allegations to beryllium untrue, with the circumstantial nonsubjective of harming the estimation and to defame the surname Savarkar…..”

With his complaint, Satyaki had submitted a fewer quality reports arsenic good arsenic a YouTube nexus of a video of Gandhi’s code successful London arsenic evidence. Satyaki has demanded a maximum punishment for the accused nether IPC conception 500 (Punishment for defamation) “Maximum compensation whitethorn kindly beryllium imposed upon the accused according to conception 357 (Order to wage compensation) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC),” helium stated successful the petition.

As per the directions of the court, the Vishrambag constabulary presumption of Pune metropolis constabulary conducted an enquiry into this substance and submitted a study connected May 27, 2024 that Rahul Gandhi has allegedly defamed Vinayak Damodar Savarkar successful his code earlier the “Indian Diaspora successful London” successful March 2023.