On Monday, the Pune Police submitted an inquiry report to a court, stating there is prima facie truth in the complaint filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by VD Savarkar’s grand-nephew. The complaint accuses Rahul Gandhi of defaming the Hindutva ideologue in a speech made in London in 2023.
The report was presented in the court of Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Akshi Jain, according to advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, who represents the complainant, Satyaki Ashok Savarkar.
Advocate Sangram Kolhatkar indicated that the court might issue a notice to Rahul Gandhi, requesting his appearance.
Satyaki Savarkar’s legal team moved the city court with a complaint under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code in April of the previous year. The court directed the Vishrambaug police to verify the evidence submitted by Satyaki Savarkar and submit a report by May 27.
According to Sangram Kolhatkar, “The Vishrambaug police stated that Satyaki Savarkar had filed a complaint last April, accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of making false claims about the late revolutionary VD Savarkar in a speech made in London in March 2023.”
The complaint alleges that Rahul Gandhi claimed in his speech that VD Savarkar wrote in a book about beating up a Muslim man with five to six friends and feeling happy about it. Satyaki Savarkar contends that no such incident occurred and that VD Savarkar never documented such an event, labeling Rahul Gandhi’s allegation as fictitious, false, and malicious.
Sangram Kolhatkar added, “The Vishrambaug police submitted a report today before the court, stating that their investigation revealed VD Savarkar had not written about such an incident in any of his books. Despite this, Rahul Gandhi made these remarks during his speech in London in March 2023, thereby defaming Satyaki Savarkar.”
The police report concluded that there is prima facie truth in Satyaki Savarkar’s complaint that Rahul Gandhi defamed VD Savarkar in his speech. Assistant Police Inspector Tukaram Nimbalkar confirmed that the report had been submitted to the court.
This case is notable in the context of Rahul Gandhi’s previous conviction for criminal defamation by a metropolitan court in Surat last March. Rahul Gandhi was convicted for his 2019 remark, “How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?”, and was sentenced to two years in jail. The sessions court later granted him bail on April 3, and the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in August.
