Amid Parliament session, Rahul Gandhi skips court appearance in defamation case filed by Savarkar's kin

Rahul Gandhi held a meeting with the leaders of INDIA bloc in Parliament House, Delhi, on Monday. Pic/PTI

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, skipped the hearing in a Pune court on Monday in connection with a defamation complaint filed against him by the grandnephew of freedom fighter VD Savarkar.

According to news agency PTI, Rahul Gandhi's lawyer Milind Pawar said his client sought exemption from appearance due to the ongoing Winter Session of the Parliament, adding the Congress leader would be present in the court on January 10.

Savarkar's grandnephew Satyaki had filed a complaint in a Pune court claiming Rahul Gandhi, in his speech in London in March 2023, stated that the Hindutva ideologue had written in a book that he and five to six of his friends once beat up a Muslim man and felt happy about it.

As per the plea, Savarkar has not written this anywhere, PTI reported.

After Satyaki filed the case, the court asked the police to investigate the allegations and file a report. The Vishrambaug Police in Pune, following an inquiry, submitted that there is prima facie truth in Satyaki's complaint.

On November 18, a special court for Members of Parliament (MP)/Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Joint Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Amol Shinde issued an order directing Gandhi to appear before the court on Monday, PTI reported.

Advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, who is representing Satyaki, urged the court to issue a non-bailable warrant against Rahul Gandhi as he had failed to appear on three occasions.

He argued that it was contempt of court as the Congress lawmaker failed to appear despite receiving summons.

Accordingly, action is sought against Rahul Gandhi under section 174 (non-attendance in obedience to an order from a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, he said.

Later, Kolhatkar told reporters that if the Leader of Opposition failed to appear in court on January 10, a non bailable warrant will be issued against him.

Kolhatkar also presented a couple of news cuttings pertaining to a speech made by Rahul Gandhi on November 26 in which the latter had made similar comments against Savarkar.

He asked the court to refrain the lawmaker from making any comments against Savarkar, following which Judge Shinde directed advocate Pawar to ask his client to not make such remarks.

On October 4, the court had asked Gandhi to be present in person 19 days later.

He, however, failed to do so and his lawyer told the court that he had not received the summons.

On November 18, Pawar told the court that his client needs time as he was busy in campaigning for Maharashtra and Jharkhand polls. The court then asked Rahul Gandhi to appear on December 2.

On Monday, Judge Shinde kept the matter for hearing on January 10, when Gandhi is expected to be present in the court.

(With PTI inputs)