Allahabad High Court Rejects Plea to Quash Rahul Gandhi's Summons in Savarkar Defamation Row

The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court declined to quash summons against Rahul Gandhi in the Savarkar defamation case. Gandhi's alleged derogatory remarks against freedom fighter Vinayak Savarkar led to complaints, with Gandhi previously granted bail in the same case by a Pune court in January.

The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, on Friday, denied a petition to invalidate the summons served on Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi concerning the Savarkar defamation case. The allegations claim Gandhi made derogatory comments about prominent freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

In January, a Pune special MP/MLA Court had granted bail to Gandhi on related charges. These accusations were initiated by Savarkar's great-nephew following allegedly offensive remarks made by Gandhi in London this past March.

The complaint accuses Gandhi of intentionally propagating false information to damage Savarkar's reputation, causing mental anguish to his family. Consequently, Satyaki Savarkar, a descendant of Savarkar's family, lodged a formal complaint in April with a Pune magistrate, attributing further defamatory statements to Gandhi.

(With inputs from agencies.)