Rahul Gandhi gets relief as SC quashes summons NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday set aside a Lucknow trial court’s order summoning leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case over his remarks about VD Savarkar.A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu held that the required sanction had not been obtained in the matter.”Additional Solicitor General and advocate for complainant, in the affidavit filed by UP, submits there is no disclosure of sanction. In such view of the matter, the complaint and orders passed by magistrate stands quashed,” the bench said.The defamation case stems from Rahul Gandhi’s remarks about Savarkar during a rally in Maharashtra’s Akola district on November 17, 2022, held as part of his Bharat Jodo Yatra.On April 4, 2025, the Lucknow bench of the high court said Rahul Gandhi could file a revision petition before the sessions court, holding that its intervention was not required at that stage.The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha had challenged the subordinate court’s order summoning him while contesting the ongoing proceedings in the case.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesSatyaki Savarkar, VD Savarkar’s grandnephew, had filed a complaint against Rahul, alleging that during a speech in London in March 2023, the Congress leader claimed that V D Savarkar had written in a book about an incident in which he and five to six friends beat up a Muslim man and that he felt happy about it.Satyaki Savarkar claimed that no such incident took place and that VD Savarkar had never written about any such episode. He sought Rahul Gandhi’s conviction under Section 500 of the IPC and compensation under Section 357 of the CrPC.The court had already granted bail to Rahul Gandhi in the case.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘RSS Vs Congress Govt’: Karnataka Cabinet Clears Bill To Curb Events At Public Spaces‘Peaceful Revolution’ Needed: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks New Leaders To Transform India Before 2047Air India Tightens Pilot Safety Checks After AI2379 Altitude Loss And Positive Marijuana TestJPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAkali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Near Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Assailant Uses Sharp Weapon | WatchPrajwal Revanna’s Jail Phone Had 90 Porn Videos, Senior Prison Official Suspended After Search’Is This The Way In Democracy?’Kharge Fumes, Raises Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row, Nadda Assures ProbeRed Fort Blast: UN Security Council Body Links Deadly Attack To AQIS; Reveals Grisly DetailsPit Bull Attack in Patiala Couple Suffers Multiple Injuries- Wife Undergoes SurgeryThreat Letter Targets Kashmiri Pandits In Kashmir, Employees Asked To Stay Alert Amid Security Fear123Photostories7 Indian foods that became symbols of resistance during the freedom struggle2 Indian dishes among ‘Top 100 Seafood Dishes in the World’, detailed recipes inside10 foods in your kitchen that are most likely to be adulterated and how to check their purityFrom Smoothies to Toast: 10 nutritious ways to eat banana for breakfastExclusive – From struggling with the painful tear gas stunt due to asthma to life as an expat in Thailand; Avika Gor on Khatron Ke Khiladi 15, stunts and moreA high-value woman doesn’t chase validation: 5 Signs of a woman who knows her worth, sets boundaries and walks away when neededOprah Winfrey talks sleep with Dr John La Puma: Why your nighttime routine may be affecting your heart, hormones and body clock’Vishwanath And Sons’: Five reasons to watch Suriya and Mamitha Baiju starrer helmed by Venky Atluri on big screens10 baby names inspired by the “first light of dawn”Why defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do it123Hot PicksDelhi MetroRajasthan UCCDelhi trafficJharkhand protestEast Coast Railway GDCE recruitmentMP Class 10, 12 timetableIran warKarnataka bandhUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingOil Prices TodaySonam WangchukMayapur LandslideAmbala Sikh Community ProtestVirender Singh BasoyaGujarat SuicideJP NaddaAbhijeet DipkeWeather TomorrowShakeel Noorani
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday set aside a Lucknow trial court’s order summoning leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case over his remarks about VD Savarkar.A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu held that the required sanction had not been obtained in the matter.“Additional Solicitor General and advocate for complainant, in the affidavit filed by UP, submits there is no disclosure of sanction. In such view of the matter, the complaint and orders passed by magistrate stands quashed,” the bench said.The defamation case stems from Rahul Gandhi’s remarks about Savarkar during a rally in Maharashtra’s Akola district on November 17, 2022, held as part of his Bharat Jodo Yatra.On April 4, 2025, the Lucknow bench of the high court said Rahul Gandhi could file a revision petition before the sessions court, holding that its intervention was not required at that stage.The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha had challenged the subordinate court’s order summoning him while contesting the ongoing proceedings in the case.
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Satyaki Savarkar, VD Savarkar’s grandnephew, had filed a complaint against Rahul, alleging that during a speech in London in March 2023, the Congress leader claimed that V D Savarkar had written in a book about an incident in which he and five to six friends beat up a Muslim man and that he felt happy about it.Satyaki Savarkar claimed that no such incident took place and that VD Savarkar had never written about any such episode. He sought Rahul Gandhi’s conviction under Section 500 of the IPC and compensation under Section 357 of the CrPC.The court had already granted bail to Rahul Gandhi in the case.
