A criminal defamation complaint has been filed by the grandnephew of the late Vinayak Damodar Savarkar against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for making defamatory statements against Savarkar during his recent visit to the United Kingdom.
Satyaki Savarkar filed this complaint and said that this is not a lone case, as Gandhi had been repeatedly defaming Savarkar over the years.
Recently, on March 5, 2023, Rahul Gandhi spoke at a gathering of the Overseas Congress at United Kingdom and made wild allegations against Savarkar, knowing the same to be untrue, and would harm his reputation, said the complaint.
The complaint said that Gandhi has cast malicious and wild allegations against Savarkar after knowing the allegations to be untrue with the specific objective of harming the reputation and to defame the surname Savarkar and to hurt the feelings of the family of late Savarkar.
The complainant claimed that Gandhi deliberately uttered the words to cause mental agony to him and his family.
The complaint filed before a chief judicial magistrate in Pune stated that though the actual speech containing “defamatory imputations” was delivered by Gandhi in England, the effect was suffered in Pune as it was published and circulated throughout India.
Gandhi is a habitual offender and has been regularly issuing defamatory statements against Savarkar and others.
He has even been convicted for criminal defamation in a case and has been sentenced to two years imprisonment. Further, there are at least five or six other cases for defamation pending against Gandhi in various courts, for defaming other persons and organizations, the complaint said.
In view of the above, the complainant sought that Gandhi be summoned and tried in accordance with law, and be awarded the maximum punishment.