Defamation case: Complainant concealed family ties with Godse, Rahul Gandhi tells Pune court
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has filed an application before the special MP/MLA Court in Pune claiming that the complainant in the Vinayak Savarkar defamation case, Satyaki Savarkar, deliberately concealed material facts regarding his maternal lineage — specifically, that he was the grandson of Gopal Vinayak Godse, younger brother of Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse.
Gandhi's defence counsel, advocate Milind Pawar, filed an application requesting the court to verify the maternal ancestry of Satyaki. Pawar told the court that while Satyaki had documented his paternal connection to VD Savarkar, he had not disclosed his maternal lineage.
According to the defence, Satyaki's mother, the late Himani Ashok Savarkar, belonged to the Godse family. Her father was Gopal Vinayak Godse, brother of Nathuram Godse. 'This would mean Nathuram Godse is the complainant's maternal granduncle,' Pawar told the court.
If Satyaki Savarkar does not voluntarily submit details on his maternal lineage, Pawar has requested that Vishrambaug police station be directed to investigate and provide a report verifying Himani Savarkar's family background.
Vinayak Savarkar was known for his 'anti-Muslim' writings ever since he was in jail, Gandhi said in the application.
Referring to various historians, the application states, 'Savarkar promoted anti-Muslim form of Hindu nationalism and saw Muslims in the Indian police and military to be 'potential traitors'.'
The demand from Gandhi's counsel came during the hearing on the defamation plea filed by Satyaki, who claims that the Congress leader falsely attributed a violent anecdote to VD Savarkar. The complaint stems from Gandhi's London address, where he reportedly said that VD Savarkar wrote about an incident in which he and a group of friends assaulted a Muslim man and felt elated afterwards.
Satyaki urged the court to direct Gandhi to submit a copy of the book which he cited during the controversial speech, asserting that no such passage exists in Savarkar's writings.
Satyaki's legal counsel, advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, noted that despite the case being scheduled for plea recording since January 10, 2025, the accused was yet to comply, which was causing delays.
'We are now requesting the court to instruct the accused to submit the exact text or book he referred to during his remarks. This is vital for ensuring a just legal process,' advocate Kolhatkar said.
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