Tejas Navale
Pune, May 10, 2025:The legal team representing Satyaki Savarkar, the grandson of freedom fighter Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, on Friday filed a petition in court seeking the cancellation of bail granted to Congress leader and Lok Sabha’s Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. The petition alleges that Gandhi is deliberately delaying the trial proceedings in a defamation case filed against him for his remarks against Swatantryaveer Savarkar.
In their application, Satyaki Savarkar’s lawyers claimed that Gandhi has consistently sought adjournments, thereby hampering the progress of the case. They argued that the bail was granted to Gandhi on specific conditions — notably, that he would not seek postponements and that his legal counsel would appear on all scheduled dates. Alleging repeated violations of these terms, they urged the court to cancel his bail and initiate proceedings to forfeit his bond.
Advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, representing Satyaki Savarkar, submitted the plea demanding Gandhi’s personal appearance in court during the upcoming hearings. He maintained that the Congress leader’s persistent absence sends a wrong message about respect for judicial proceedings. The court has scheduled May 28 for the next hearing, during which Gandhi’s lawyer, Advocate Milind Pawar, is expected to counter the arguments presented in the application.
The defamation case stems from comments made by Gandhi at an event in London, where he allegedly made disparaging remarks about Savarkar before an NRI audience. Following the controversy, Satyaki Savarkar initiated legal action, accusing Gandhi of defaming the legacy of Swatantryaveer Savarkar.
