Today, On 11th July, Rahul Gandhi formally pleaded ‘not guilty’ in the Savarkar defamation case during proceedings in a Pune court. Judicial Magistrate Amol Shinde recorded the plea through Gandhi’s advocate Milind Pawar as trial proceedings begin.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pleaded of not guilty in a defamation case regarding his remarks about Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar, during proceedings in a Pune court.
Judicial Magistrate (First Class) and Special Judge (MP/MLA court) Amol Sriram Shinde read the charges brought by Satyaki Savarkar, a grandnephew of V.D. Savarkar.
Gandhi was not present in court; instead, his lawyer, Milind Pawar, submitted the plea on his behalf.
With the plea officially recorded, the case is now advancing to trial.
This legal matter originates from a speech Gandhi delivered in London in March 2023, during which he allegedly referenced an incident outlined in Savarkar’s writings.
Gandhi is said to have claimed that Savarkar and others had assaulted a Muslim man and found the act “pleasurable.”
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Satyaki Savarkar challenged the existence of such an account in Savarkar’s published works and initiated legal action, asserting that Gandhi’s statement was factually incorrect, misleading, and defamatory.
The complaint argues that the remarks not only misrepresented historical facts but also harmed the reputation of Vinayak Savarkar.
He has sought Gandhi’s conviction under Section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code, along with compensation under Section 357 of the CrPC.
Earlier in May, the Court approved Gandhi’s request to shift the case from a summary trial to a summons trial, a procedural adjustment that allows for the inclusion of more extensive documentary and historical evidence.
Gandhi defended this change by stating that his remarks were based on verifiable historical sources.
Also Read: Rahul Gandhi Granted Bail in Savarkar Defamation Case by Pune Court
Advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, representing Satyaki Savarkar, stated that since the plea recording phase is complete, the trial will now proceed.
Advocate Milind Pawar represented Gandhi.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for July 24.
Gandhi, who serves as the MP for Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh and is the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, has been linked to this case since April last year. Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of Vinayak Savarkar, filed a complaint in a magistrate court in Pune, alleging that Gandhi made defamatory remarks about Savarkar during a speech in London on March 5, 2023.
Case Title: Satyaki Savarkar v Rahul Gandhi
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