Pune Court Allows Gandhi's Plea for Summons Trial in Defamation Case

A Pune court granted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's request to shift his defamation case involving V D Savarkar from a summary to a summons trial, allowing for a more detailed examination of historical references and evidence. This move aims to ensure a fair trial.

A Pune court has granted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's plea to convert his defamation case related to remarks on V D Savarkar into a summons trial. This change will permit deeper discussions on historical evidence and detailed cross-examinations.

The decision was made by Judicial Magistrate Amol Shinde of the Special Court for MPs/MLAs, following arguments by Gandhi's lawyer, Milind Pawar. The court determined the case warranted a summons trial due to its complexity, allowing thorough evidence examination.

Satyaki Savarkar, V D Savarkar's grand nephew, lodged the complaint against Gandhi, citing a 2023 speech where Gandhi allegedly misrepresented historical events. The complaint labeled Gandhi's remarks as baseless and malicious. Advocate Sangram Kolhatkar argued the plea was a delay tactic.

(With inputs from agencies.)