Pune: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, pleaded not guilty before a Pune court in a criminal defamation case related to his past remarks on Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
The plea was submitted on Gandhi’s behalf by Advocate Milind Pawar before Judicial Magistrate (First Class) and Special Judge for MP/MLA cases Amol Sriram Shinde at the Pune District Court. Gandhi did not appear in person for the hearing.
The case stems from a complaint filed by Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of V. D. Savarkar, who alleged that Gandhi made defamatory comments about the freedom fighter during an event held by the Overseas Congress in the United Kingdom in 2023. According to the complaint, the remarks were later circulated on social media and caused damage to Savarkar’s public image and historical legacy.
During the court proceedings, Judge Shinde read out the defamation charge under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code. Advocate Pawar confirmed that Rahul Gandhi had received all relevant documents and was aware of the nature of the allegations. When asked whether he wished to plead guilty, Pawar firmly responded on his client’s behalf:
“No. I do not plead guilty.”
