Rahul Gandhi defamed Savarkar in London speech: Pune police to court

According to Satyaki, Rahul Gandhi had in London said that (Vinayak Damodar) Savarkar had written a book in which he stated that he (Savarkar) and five or six of his friends were beating up a Muslim and felt delighted about what was happening.

4 min readPuneUpdated: May 28, 2024 08:32 AM IST

The report concludes that Rahul Gandhi defamed Vinayak Savarkar during his speech at the London event, by making statements that were not written by Savarkar in any of his books. (Express Photo)

An inquiry conducted by the Pune city police revealed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has defamed freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in his speech before the “Indian Diaspora in London” in March 2023.

Police submitted an inquiry report on Monday before the Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Akshi Jain in Pune, where Savarkar’s kin had filed a criminal defamation complaint against Rahul Gandhi.

“The learned JMFC court will pass an order on May 30 as per section 204 of CrPC (issue of process) regarding the appearance of Rahul Gandhi before it,” said advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, who represents Satyaki Savarkar, the complainant in this case. Satyaki is the grand nephew of Vinayak Savarkar.

In April last year, Satyaki had filed a complaint before a magistrate court in Pune, following Rahul Gandhi’s alleged defamatory remarks against Vinayak Savarkar during the function held in London on March 5, 2023.

Along with the complaint, Satyaki had submitted a few news reports as well as a YouTube link of a video of Gandhi’s speech in London as evidence.

According to Satyaki, Rahul Gandhi had in London said that (Vinayak Damodar) Savarkar had written a book in which he stated that he (Savarkar) and five or 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. Hence I filed a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi in a Pune court,” he said.

In his petition, Satyaki stated, “..He (Gandhi) has intentionally made false, malicious and wild allegations against Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, fully knowing the said allegations to be untrue, with the specific objective of harming the reputation and to defame the surname Savarkar…..”

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In his criminal defamation application, Satyaki demanded a maximum punishment for the accused under section 500 (Punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code. “Maximum compensation may kindly be imposed upon the accused according to section 357 (Order to pay compensation) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC),” he stated.

After recording statements of Satyaki and two witnesses, the JMFC court had in January 2024 directed the Pune City police to conduct an inquiry into the defamation complaint as per provisions of section 202 of the CrPC and submit its report by February 23. The Vishrambag police station in Pune then initiated an inquiry into this matter.

However, the police sought more time from the court to complete its inquiry. The police told the court in writing on April 2, 2024 that it was not possible to conduct further inquiry into the matter because despite repeated communication, YouTube has not provided any information (profile, IP address, email etc) regarding the link with the video of Rahul Gandhi’s speech.

In favour of the police, the court then ordered that, “…Considering all submissions, time is granted till the next date (May 27).”

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Accordingly, assistant police inspector Tukaram Nimbalkar of the Vishrambag police station submitted the inquiry report before the JMFC court on Monday. The report concludes that Rahul Gandhi defamed Vinayak Savarkar during his speech at the London event, by making statements that were not written by Savarkar in any of his books.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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