THE LAWYER representing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the criminal defamation case filed by Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar, on Wednesday submitted a pursis in the Pune court hearing the case, but later made a U-turn, saying he had filed the application without consulting Rahul. The pursis stated that there was “substantial apprehension that Rahul Gandhi may face harm” in light of his current political stand and Satyeki’s “lineage from Nathuram Godse”.
On Wednesday, lawyer Milind Pawar, who is representing Rahul, filed the pursis, which is a formal written submission placed before court. Pawar had earlier said the court had admitted the pursis after he filed it in the afternoon.
“The complainant, Satyaki Savarkar, has categorically admitted that he is a direct descendant through his maternal family lineage of Nathuram Godse and Gopal Godse, the principal accused in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi,” the pursis stated.
“Rahul Gandhi has condemned the present government by raising the slogan ‘Vote Chor Sarkar’. He has produced documentary evidence alleging serious electoral irregularities, directly implicating the Election Commission in actions which, by their very nature, provoke hostility from those whose political power and ideological interests stand challenged. The apprehension of harm to Rahul Gandhi is neither abstract nor unfounded. In light of the documented history of violent and anti-constitutional tendencies linked to the complainant’s lineage, and considering the prevailing political climate, there exists a clear, reasonable, and substantial apprehension that Rahul Gandhi may face harm, wrongful implication, or other forms of targeting by persons subscribing to the ideology of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar,” it stated.
“Prudence demands that this apprehension be placed on record at this stage. The complainant himself has asserted descent from the associates of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassins. In view of the grave history associated with such lineage, the defence harbours a genuine and reasonable apprehension that history must not be permitted to repeat itself,” it stated.
However, in the evening, Pawar issued a press statement, “The pursis dated August 13 was filed by me in the court without instructions from the client. The contents of the pursis were drafted by me without consulting my client Rahul Gandhi. My client has taken strong exception to filing of this pursis and has expressed his disagreement with the contents. I shall file a formal application tomorrow for withdrawal of the said pursis before the court.”
When contacted earlier after the pursis was filed, Satyaki Savarkar had said, “The statements made by defence in the pursis are completely baseless and appalling. They have claimed apprehension of harm to Rahul Gandhi which is baseless because he has been exempted from physically attending the proceedings. The defence has been filing such frivolous applications and pursis every now and then and are trying to delay the entire case.”
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Meanwhile on Wednesday Satyaki Savarkar’s lawyer Sangram Kolhatkar moved the court seeking action against Rahul alleging he had committed perjury. “In the past, all relevant documents have been duly provided to the advocate representing the accused, who has acknowledged the receipt. Despite this, the accused is now falsely claiming that no such material was received. This is a clear attempt to mislead the court. We therefore urge the court, in the strongest terms, to initiate appropriate action against the accused for this deliberate misrepresentation and committing perjury,” Kolhatkar said.
