4 min readPuneJan 19, 2024 10:17 PM IST
First published on: Jan 19, 2024 at 08:54 PM IST
A court in Pune on Friday directed the city police to conduct an inquiry in connection with the criminal defamation complaint filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by Satyaki Savarkar, the grand nephew of freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and submit a report by February 23.
Satyaki had filed a complaint before a magistrate court in Pune in April last year, following Rahul Gandhi’s alleged malicious remarks against Savarkar during a function held in London.
“Considering the evidence and witnesses produced by Satayaki Savarkar and as the accused (Rahul Gandhi) is residing outside the jurisdiction of the court, the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) Akshi Jain passed an order today directing the police to conduct an inquiry in the defamation complaint as per the provisions of Section 202 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and submit its report by February 23, 2024. We would be getting the certified copy of the court order on Tuesday. We would then hand over the order copy to the inspector of the concerned police station,” said Satyaki’s lawyer Sangram Kolhatkar.
According to Satyaki, ““While speaking at an event in London in March 2023, Rahul Gandhi said Savarkar had written a book in which he had said that he (Savarkar) and five-six of his friends were beating up a Muslim and felt delighted about what was happening. Rahul Gandhi then went on to ask whether this was not a cowardly act….But Savarkar has not written any such book as claimed by Rahul Gandhi nor has such an incident ever happened.”
Satyaki stated in his plea to the court, “The accused (Rahul Gandhi), for reasons best known to him, has been repeatedly defaming and abusing Late Vinayak Damodar Savarkar on various occasions for over many years…He has intentionally made false, malicious and wild allegations against Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, fully knowing that the said allegations are untrue, with the specific objective of harming the reputation and to defame the surname Savarkar…The accused has deliberately uttered these words and sentences which were hurtful to the feelings of his family members and near relatives, followers of Late Savarkar and also would spark communal spark between two religions.”
Satyaki has prayed in his criminal defamation application that Rahul Gandhi be summoned and tried in accordance with the law. “Maximum punishment, as contemplated under Section 500 (punishment for defamation) of the IPC may kindly be imposed on the accused. Maximum compensation may kindly be imposed upon the accused according to Section 357 (Order to pay compensation) of the Code of Criminal Procedure,” Satyaki demanded in his application.
“The court has recorded my statement to verify whether I am a kin of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and how the objectionable statements of Rahul Gandhi caused our defamation. Also, the court recorded statements of two witnesses Chandrashekhar Sane and Rahul Bangonde, who supported us…. Now, the court has directed the police to conduct an inquiry and submit a report as per Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure,” said Satyaki while speaking to The Indian Express.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (left) and Satyaki Savarkar (right), the grand nephew of freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar 
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