 "Rahul Gandhi summoned by Pune court on Aug 19 in Savarkar defamation case")
A Pune Court has issued a summons for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, requiring his presence on August 19 in connection with a defamation complaint lodged against him for allegedly making defamatory remarks about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar during a visit to the United Kingdom.
The complaint was filed by Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of VD Savarkar. Judicial Magistrate Akshi Jain in Pune issued the order on May 30 under Section 204 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Previously, the judge had instructed Pune police to investigate the defamation complaint under Section 202, CrPC, according to Bar and Bench.
The police submitted their inquiry report to the judge on May 27, leading to the magistrate acknowledging the complaint and initiating legal proceedings against Gandhi.
The complaint alleges that Gandhi has repeatedly defamed Savarkar on various occasions over the years. Specifically, it references a speech Gandhi delivered on March 5, 2023, at an Overseas Congress event in the UK.
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The complainant asserts that Gandhi intentionally made false and damaging accusations against Savarkar to tarnish his reputation, causing mental distress to him and his family. Despite the speech being delivered in England, the complaint contends that its impact was felt in Pune and across India due to widespread publication and circulation.
According to the complaint, Gandhi alleged in his speech that Savarkar had written about an incident where he and his associates assaulted a Muslim man, with Savarkar expressing joy over the act.
However, Satyaki Savarkar claims that no such incident ever occurred, and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar never wrote about it. Satyaki Savarkar filed a defamation complaint under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, prompting the court to direct the Vishrambaug police station to verify the evidence provided by him and submit a report.
The police stated in their report submitted on Monday that Vinayak Damodar Savarkar had not documented any such incident, yet Gandhi made the assertion in his speech.
It was not immediately clear if the Congress leader was expected to be present, or if he can appear through his lawyer.