Supreme Court quashes Rahul Gandhi's summons in Savarkar defamation case
What's the story
The Supreme Court has quashed a Lucknow trial court's order summoning Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case. The case was related to Gandhi's comments on Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar during his "Bharat Jodo Yatra" rally in Akola district, Maharashtra, on November 17, 2022. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu ruled that the necessary sanction for prosecution was not obtained.
Legal requirement
'If there's no sanction, there's no case'
Justice Datta emphasized the importance of obtaining a sanction before proceeding with such cases, saying, "Sanction is required. But there is no sanction. If there is no sanction, there is no case."
The court quashed both the complaint filed by Nripendra Pandey and the summons issued by a Lucknow Magistrate.
The complaint alleged Gandhi intentionally insulted Savarkar as part of a conspiracy to defame him.
Complaint details
Complaint filed by Savarkar's grandnephew
The complaint was filed by Nripendra Pandey, Satyaki Savarkar's grandnephew.
He alleged that during a speech in London in March 2023, Gandhi claimed VD Savarkar wrote about an incident where he and six of his friends assaulted a Muslim man and that Savarkar felt happy about it.
Satyaki contended no such incident occurred and Savarkar never wrote about such an episode, seeking Gandhi's conviction under Section 500 of the IPC for defamation.
Bail granted
Gandhi was granted bail
The court has already granted bail to Gandhi in the case.
The Lucknow bench of the High Court had earlier said that Gandhi could file a revision petition before the sessions court, holding that the HC's intervention was not required at that stage.
This decision came on April 4, 2025.