Savarkar defamation case: Google submits details of Rahul Gandhi’s YouTube video in Pune court

Satyaki has alleged in the complaint that Rahul Gandhi made defamatory remarks against V D Savarkar during a speech in London on March 5, 2023.

4 min readPuneJul 31, 2026 10:36 AM IST

In his London speech, Rahul Gandhi had allegedly said Savarkar had written a book stating that he and some of his friends felt delighted to beat up a Muslim. (Photo: Express/File)

Google LLC on Thursday submitted details of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Youtube channel and video to the special MP/MLA court in Pune, which is hearing the defamation case filed by Satyaki Savarkar, grandnephew of Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar.

Satyaki has alleged in the complaint that Rahul Gandhi made defamatory remarks against V D Savarkar during a speech in London on March 5, 2023. Along with the complaint filed in 2023, Satyaki had submitted before the court some news reports, a YouTube link showing video of Rahul’s speech in London, and a CD containing the said video, as evidence. But when the CD was played during Satyaki’s chief examination in November last year, it was found to be blank.

On December 18, 2025, the court allowed Satyaki’s application seeking directions for “YouTube LLC/Google..” to produce Rahul Gandhi’s original video available on the YouTube link titled “Indians abroad and shining examples of our culture of respect I Interaction with Diaspora in London”, dated March 5, 2023, published on “official YouTube channel of the accused Rahul Gandhi”.

The video was sought along with its metadata like upload date and time, URL and unique video ID, hash value/digital signature and other details.

Accordingly, advocate Dhairyasheel Patil, representing Google, submitted the information in a pendrive to the court on Thursday.

When contacted, Patil said the complete meta data pertaining to the said video and system generated records were given to the court.

“Google is based in the US. As per US laws, the original video cannot be shared with the court in Pune. The court has been informed that the said video is available and accessible on the Youtube channel of Rahul Gandhi,” Patil said.

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In his London speech, Rahul Gandhi had allegedly said Savarkar had written a book stating that he and some of his friends felt delighted to beat up a Muslim. According to Satyaki, V D Savarkar had not written any such book, nor had such an incident ever happened.

As per the court’s directions, the Pune City police conducted an inquiry and submitted a report on May 27, 2024, stating that Rahul Gandhi had allegedly defamed Savarkar in his London speech. Rahul Gandhi pleaded not guilty in the defamation case.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi’s counsel Milind Pawar cross examined Satyaki on V D Savarkar’s book “Vidnyannishtha Nibandh” on Thursday.

‘Dilatory tactics adopted to prolong the matter’

Satyaki’s lawyer Sangram Kolhatkar filed an application on Thursday, claiming the accused (Rahul Gandhi) has “adopted dilatory tactics to prolong the matter” and is “taking undue advantage of conversion of the complaint from summary case to summons case”

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The application asked the court to direct Rahul Gandhi to submit a “strict time-table” or the time required to conclude the cross examination. The court asked Rahul’s counsel Milind Pawar to file a stay on this application on August 4.

The application stated that Satyaki’s cross examination is ongoing for the last seven months, causing him “severe harassment and mental agony”. It further stated that “a multitude of questions being asked are merely repetitive and irrelevant”, as they are not related to the subject matter.

The application mentioned, “The Apex court had reiterated on numerous occasions that pendency in trials should be avoided. Needless to say, as the present case is being tried by the special MP/MLA court, an expeditious trial is highly warranted…”

Advocate Kolhatkar said during cross examination, Satyaki was questioned on V D Savarkar’s clemency petitions and literature, which is unrelated to the case.

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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