A Pune court granted Rahul Gandhi a permanent exemption from appearing in the Savarkar defamation case. The case stems from Gandhi’s alleged derogatory remarks about Hindutva leader Vinayak Damodar Savarkar during a speech in London in March 2023. The exemption means Gandhi will no longer need to be present for hearings. However, the legal proceedings in the case will continue.
Pune: A Pune court granted Rahul Gandhi a permanent exemption in a defamation case related to his remarks about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Gandhi’s counsel had previously submitted an application to the court, citing a potential threat to his life, especially given Pune’s association with Nathuram Godse, and noted that Gandhi’s father and grandfather were assassinated by “bad elements” in society.
The case revolves around Gandhi’s alleged objectionable comments about the Hindutva icon Savarkar during a speech in London in March 2023. Previously, Gandhi appeared via video conferencing and was granted temporary bail on a Rs.25,000 surety bond.
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The complaint was filed by Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of VD Savarkar, who accused Gandhi of making defamatory remarks at the London event.
Judicial Magistrate Milind Shinde, in his ruling, stated,
“The accused shall not raise an objection before the court that the evidence in the matter was recorded in his absence,”
Also requiring Gandhi’s counsel to be present at each hearing.
Advocate Milind Pawar, representing the opposition leader, sought a permanent exemption under Section 205 of the Criminal Procedure Code, emphasizing Gandhi’s position as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and his status as a senior Congress leader.
The application noted,
“The accused is the son, grandson, and great-grandson of former Prime Ministers, whose contributions to India’s development are historically significant, and who were brutally killed by elements of society.”
It also highlighted that Gandhi is under Z Plus security provided by the Indian government, which incurs significant costs and sometimes restricts his movements due to security concerns.
Furthermore, the application referred to Savarkar, stating,
“The complainant claims to be an alleged descendant of late VD Savarkar, who faced accusations in the murder of Mahatma Gandhi. Although VD Savarkar was acquitted, his co-accused, Nathuram Godse from Pune, was sentenced to death.”
When reached for comment, Advocate Pawar noted that they also requested the court to convert the case from a summary trial to a summons trial, which would allow for detailed cross-examination and the opportunity to present important documents from the government.
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