Pune: Rahul Gandhi directed to attend court proceedings on December 2 in Swatantryaveer Savarkar defamation case

Pune: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been summoned by the Special Court in the city in a case filed before it for allegedly defaming Swatantryaveer VD Savarkar.

Gandhi was directed to remain present in the court on Monday (November 18). However, he could not attend the proceedings as he kept busy in the poll campaign, said his legal counsel.

Later, JMFC Amol Shinde instructed Gandhi to remain present in the court on December 2. Rahul Gandhi allegedly made insulting statements against the freedom fighter at a programme in London. Later, Savarkar’s grandson Satyaki Savarkar filed a case against Gandhi in the Pune court.

Earlier, Gandhi was summoned to remain present in the court. However, the summons was delivered at the Patiala Court in Delhi instead of the Tis Hazari Court. Then he was summoned again. He was told to attend the court proceedings on November 18.

The summons concerned was delivered at Rahul Gandhi’s office. A receipt of the same was produced before the court by Satyaki Savarkar’s legal counsel Adv Kolhatkar. However, Gandhi’s absence in the court was brought to the notice.

Adv Milind Pawar filed an application on behalf of Rahul Gandhi in the court. He told the court that the summons concerned was delivered at Gandhi’s office. But he could not attend the proceedings due to his busy poll campaign schedule.

Later, the court took a letter of guarantee from Adv Pawar. The letter states that Gandhi will remain present in the court on December 2.