A Lucknow court fined Rahul Gandhi Rs 200 for missing a hearing in a 2022 defamation case over his remarks on Savarkar. His lawyers cited official commitments; the next hearing is on April 14.
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Uttar Pradesh: A court in Lucknow has fined Rahul Gandhi Rs 200 because he did not appear for a hearing in a 2022 defamation case related to his comments about freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
The court had earlier ordered him to appear on Wednesday, but he was absent. Instead, his lawyers submitted a request, asking the court to excuse his personal appearance.
The judge, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Alok Verma, ruled that Rahul Gandhi must pay Rs 200, and this amount should go to the complainant’s lawyer. The court has now set the next hearing date for April 14.
Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer explained that he was busy with official work, including meetings with foreign dignitaries and other important programs, which is why he couldn’t attend the hearing.
This case began because of comments Rahul Gandhi made about Savarkar on November 17, 2022, during his Bharat Jodo Yatra rally in Maharashtra’s Akola district.
A lawyer named Nripendra Pandey filed a complaint, saying that Rahul Gandhi deliberately insulted Savarkar during the rally.
The complaint also claimed that-
“Gandhi’s remarks were part of a well-planned conspiracy to defame Savarkar”
and that his comments were-
“widely broadcast in the media.”
BACKGROUND
The defamation case against Rahul Gandhi stems from his remarks about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar during the Bharat Jodo Yatra on November 17, 2022, in Akola, Maharashtra.
During his speech, Rahul Gandhi allegedly made derogatory comments about Savarkar, which led to strong criticism from Savarkar’s supporters and right-wing groups.
Advocate Nripendra Pandey later filed a defamation complaint, claiming that Gandhi’s remarks were part of a “well-planned conspiracy to defame Savarkar” and that they were “widely broadcast in the media.”
The court took cognizance of the case, and in December 2024, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Alok Verma ordered Rahul Gandhi to appear in court on March 6, 2025. However, Gandhi did not attend, citing official commitments, leading the court to impose a Rs 200 fine and schedule the next hearing for April 14, 2025.
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