Pune Court Rules on Defamation Case Against Rahul Gandhi

Court Decision on Defamation Case

A court in Pune has determined that examining any potential familial connections between VD Savarkar, a prominent Hindutva figure, and Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, is unnecessary for resolving a defamation lawsuit against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

This legal matter arises from a complaint lodged by Satyaki Savarkar, the grand-nephew of VD Savarkar, in April 2023. He accuses Gandhi of making false and damaging statements regarding the Hindutva ideologue.

During the proceedings, Gandhi requested information about Satyaki Savarkar's maternal lineage, suggesting that the complainant concealed significant details about his family, particularly his connection to Gopal Vinayak Godse, who is Nathuram Godse's brother.

However, Judge Amol Shriram Shinde dismissed this request, stating that the case does not pertain to the family background of the complainant and is irrelevant to the issues at hand.

The judge's order, dated May 28, clarified that the case focuses solely on Gandhi's alleged defamatory remarks made in London regarding VD Savarkar. The responsibility to prove that Gandhi made such statements lies with Satyaki Savarkar.

In April, the Pune court had granted Gandhi's request to change the defamation case into a summons trial, which allows for comprehensive evidence presentation and cross-examination, following his assertion that his comments were grounded in historical facts.