Defamation case against Rahul Gandhi: Savarkar kin says cross-examination causing mental agony; seeks strict timeline

Satyaki Savarkar, grandnephew of VD Savarkar, has moved a Pune court seeking a strict timeline and tighter control over the ongoing cross-examination in his criminal defamation case against leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi.

In an application filed on July 30, Savarkar alleged that his cross-examination by Gandhi's lawyer has stretched over seven months, causing him severe harassment and mental agony.

After considering the application on August 4, Judicial magistrate Amol Shinde sought Gandhi’s response. It will now be considered on the next date of hearing on August 14.

The application pointed out that Savarkar’s examination-in-chief concluded on December 31, 2025.

The same day, his cross-examination by defence began and that is ongoing since the past seven months.

“It is evidence that Gandhi has adopted dilatory tactic to prolong the matter. A multitude of the questions being asked as merely repetitive and irrelevant as they address topics that neither form the subject matter of the criminal case, nor were they mentioned in the complainant’s examination-in-chief,” it was submitted.

Satyaki Savarkar alleged that the conduct by Gandhi revealed an intention to prolong the matter.

“The unending cross-examination is being conducted with unnecessary interruptions and gaps, which has caused severe ill effects and an adverse impact on the complainant’s life. This conduct by Gandhi creates suspicion over his intentions,” Satyaki stated.

He added that the prolonged process has delayed steps to obtain YouTube evidence for which the court has already granted permission.

Savarkar has prayed for a direction to Gandhi to submit a timetable specifying how many days or months he needs to conclude the cross-examination so that Savarkar can arrange his daily routine without hampering daily activities and family life.

The criminal defamation case against Gandhi was initiated by Satyaki Savarkar over remarks made by Rahul Gandhi during an address in the United Kingdom in March 2023. 

In his speech, Gandhi allegedly cited Savarkar's writings to claim that Savarkar and others had assaulted a Muslim man and found the act "pleasurable." 

Satyaki then filed the present criminal defamation case, asserting that no such incident described by Gandhi is found in Savarkar's published works.

He accused Gandhi of making remarks that are factually incorrect, misleading, and defamatory, thereby distorting history and damaging Savarkar's reputation. 

Consequently, Satyaki is seeking Gandhi's conviction under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code and compensation under Section 357 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The trial is currently at the stage of cross-examination of Savarkar by Gandhi's lawyer.

The application by Savarkar to conclude the process follows a cross examination held on August 4.

During the trial proceedings on that day, advocate Milind Pawar, appearing for Gandhi, had confronted Savarkar with long excerpts from VD Savarkar’s “Vigyannisht Nibandha” (Rationalist Essays).

Savarkar was asked about his grandfather’s critical commentary on traditional rituals, sacrificial fire practices (Yajna), animal sacrifice, and cow worship (Gopujan).

VD Savarkar had written that practices like maintaining an “agnihotra” or performing yagnas had practical value in primitive times but were redundant and foolish in the modern scientific age.

He had also described burning heaps of food and tubs of ghee in a starving nation as an “unwitting arson”.

Pawar also highlighted VD Savarkar’s essays on cow protection where a cow was called as “extremely useful” but treating her as a deity ought to be discarded. 

“The cow is blatantly an animal. Considering any animal that lacks even the intelligence of the most intellect-lacking human as a deity is an insult to humanity itself,” the text said.

VD Savarkar had also sharply criticised the belief that Brahmins attain greater “purity” by consuming cow dung and urine.

Advocate Sangram Kolhatkar appeared for Satyaki Savarkar.