Veer Savarkar's Relative Files Criminal Defamation Complaint Against Rahul Gandhi In Pune Court

Satyaki Savarkar, grandnephew of Veer Savarkar, has filed a criminal defamation complaints in a Pune court against Rahul Gandhi for making false allegations the Hindutva icon during the Congress leader's UK visit.

“I have submitted the criminal defamation complaint against Rahul Gandhi in court today. The court is yet to admit the plea and we expect it to happen on Saturday, when a registration number will be assigned to it," Satyaki was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

Satyaki, 40, is grandson of Narayan Damodar Savarkar, brother of Veer Savarkar.

Satyaki, when asked about the complaint, alleged that during an event in London, Rahul Gandhi said that Veer Savarkar penned a book in which he has written that he and five-six of his friends were beating up a Muslim and felt delighted about what was happening.

"Rahul Gandhi then went on to ask whether this was not a cowardly act," Satyaki said.

However, Satyaki said that Veer Savarkar did not write any such book, as claimed by Rahul Gandhi, and "nor has such an incident ever happened".

In his plea, Satyaki has reportedly stated, “The Accused, for reasons best known to him, has been repeatedly defaming and abusing Late Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in various occasions for many years… He has intentionally made false, malicious and wild allegations against Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, fully knowing the said allegations to be untrue, with the specific objective of harming the reputation and to defame the surname Savarkar…."

"The accused has deliberately uttered these words and sentences which were hurtful to the feelings of his family members and near relatives, followers of Late Savarkar and also would spark communal spark [tension] between two religions," the plea stated.

In his plea, he requested that “the accused [should] be summoned and tried in accordance with the law".

"Maximum punishment, as contemplated under Section 500 (Punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code may kindly be imposed on the accused. Maximum compensation may kindly be imposed upon the accused according to Section 357 (Order to pay compensation) of the Code of Criminal Procedure," the plea stated.