'Rahul Gandhi Can't Be Witness Against Himself': Court In Defamation Case
A court in Pune has rejected a petitioner's request to get a copy of a book which Congress MP Rahul Gandhi cited during a speech in March 2023, which led to the filing of a defamation case against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Satyaki Savarkar, the grand nephew of Vinayak Savarkar, filed the petition in a special MP/MLA court in Pune seeking a copy of the book which Mr Gandhi used while attacking Vinayak Savarkar.
The court, however, rejected the petition, saying the "accused cannot be compelled to be a witness against himself, nor can he be compelled to produce incriminating material against him."
The court said the trial has not yet started, so the defence cannot be compelled to disclose documents.
"... The burden of proof lies entirely on the complainant. The accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. If the application is allowed, it would cause serious prejudice to the accused's right to a fair trial and his right to defend himself effectively," judicial magistrate first class Amol Shriram Shinde said in the order.
"Forcing the defence to prematurely disclose defence materials is neither permitted under criminal procedure nor compatible with constitutional guarantees. It would violate the constitutional right provided under Article 20(3) of the Constitution," the court said.
The defamation case against Mr Gandhi alleged he had on several occasions maligned Vinayak Savarkar, and one particular incident in March 2023 during a speech in the UK crossed the limit.
As per Article 20(3) of the Constitution, no person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself, the court said.
"Therefore, this court is of the opinion that an order cannot be passed directing the accused to file the incriminating documents. The documents in question are incriminating in nature and are sought to be produced against the accused.
"The accused cannot be compelled to be a witness against himself, nor can he be compelled to produce incriminating material against him. Hence, the application filed by the complainant is liable to be rejected and is accordingly rejected," the court said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
14 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump responds to One Big Beautiful Bill passage with praise for US border, economy, and military
Trump responds to One Big Beautiful Bill with focus on US strength US President Donald Trump reacted to the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) by Congress, calling attention to the bill's alignment with his administration's goals on border security , military funding , and economic policy. 'The strongest border on earth, the strongest economy, the strongest MILITARY on earth,' Trump said, referencing the central features of the legislation and its alignment with his policy agenda. Also read: Breaking News Highlights: Republican-led House gives final passage to Trump's big tax bill Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Fill Out Your Postcode, Reg Number, and You Could Be Owed Up to £2.8k UK PCP Claims Try Now Undo 'Sir, you're going to go down as one of the best Presidents ever,' Trump said, quoting what someone told him recently. No source was provided. The OBBB, passed on July 3, 2025, in the House (218–214) after clearing the Senate on July 1 (51–50), allocates major funding to national defense , border enforcement, and tax relief . It includes an estimated $170 billion for border operations, $150 billion in military spending, and permanent extensions to 2017 tax cuts, alongside the removal of federal taxes on tips and overtime. Live Events 'Our country was cold as ICE… They were laughing at anything to do with our country,' Trump added, suggesting a shift in global perception during his time in office. Analysts estimate the bill could add $2.4–2.8 trillion to the national debt over the next decade. The Congressional Budget Office also projects that as many as 11 million Americans could lose health coverage due to spending offsets in the bill. While Republicans have promoted the measure as a pro-growth policy package, critics argue that the long-term fiscal implications could pose challenges. Trump's remarks reinforce the bill's alignment with his political branding: immigration control, economic liberalization, and increased defense capabilities.
News18
16 minutes ago
- News18
Congress Marks One Year Of Rahul Gandhi As LoP, But It's Priyanka Who Stole The Spotlight
Last Updated: As Congress celebrates Rahul Gandhi's first year as Leader of the Opposition, it is Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's quiet rise in Parliament that has drawn more attention With the Monsoon Session of Parliament set to begin on July 21, the Congress is celebrating one year of Rahul Gandhi's tenure as Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha. Gandhi completed a year in the post on July 2, a milestone the party is using to spotlight his speeches, pointed attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government, and his frequent press interactions. Gandhi's elevation last year was a significant moment for the Congress—it was the first time in a decade the party had the numbers to claim the LoP post in the Lok Sabha. His appointment also coincided with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's debut as a Member of Parliament, underscoring the return of the Gandhi siblings to the centrestage in Parliament. Interestingly, over the past year, it is Priyanka—not Rahul—who has made the stronger impression inside Parliament. Her interventions, informal outreach, and symbolic gestures have drawn considerable attention. In particular, her handbags, carried during key sessions, sparked political chatter: one, seen as a show of solidarity with Palestinians, invited criticism of appeasement; days later, another bag signalled support for Hindus and Christians targeted in Bangladesh. She has also spoken up on Wayanad-related issues, built rapport with Congress MPs, and even met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to seek a special package for the Kerala constituency. These moves, though subtle, have often overshadowed her brother's presence. Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, has had a more combative but controversial tenure. His interventions have repeatedly triggered strong reactions. His remarks on the Abhaya Mudra, accusations of the BJP being anti-Hindu, and warnings about constitutional erosion under the Modi government led to a privilege notice. He took his oath holding a copy of the Samvidhan, a symbolic moment that set the tone for his tenure. More critically, he has struggled to unify the INDIA bloc. Far from consolidating the alliance, his leadership has faced resistance, particularly from the Trinamool Congress, which has questioned his suitability for national leadership and pushed for Mamata Banerjee to lead the Opposition front instead. The BJP, for its part, has repeatedly accused Gandhi of trivialising the LoP post, citing what it calls frivolous remarks and his choice of attire, including track pants, during serious parliamentary discussions like those on the Waqf Bill. The ruling party has labelled him a 'non-serious" LoP and suggested that his approach undermines the dignity of the role. With four years remaining in the current Lok Sabha term, the Congress hopes Rahul Gandhi will grow into the post and assert a more effective leadership style. Within the party, there are those who believe he must now move from symbolism to substance, both to rally the INDIA bloc and to challenge the BJP electorally. For now, as the party marks one year of his leadership, the story seems less about his transformation and more about the rise of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra—who, quietly and without fanfare, may have emerged as the Congress's most compelling parliamentary presence. First Published: July 04, 2025, 09:34 IST
Scroll.in
27 minutes ago
- Scroll.in
‘The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case' review: A balancing act between fact and drama
The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case takes a while to find its tone. The show's prosaic title is the first indication of a balancing act between well-publicised facts and dramatisation, subtext and context, the thin line between justice and retribution. The Sony LIV series follows the Central government's investigation into Rajiv Gandhi's horrific death on May 21, 1991, in a suicide bombing carried out by a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam member. Gandhi was campaigning in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu for the Lok Sabha election. His Congress party had been voted out of power, and he was aiming to return as the head of state. Gandhi's gruesome demise was blamed on a misguided policy decision during his prime ministership: sending the Indian Peacekeeping Force military unit to aid Sri Lanka in its civil war with the LTTE. The Tamil Tigers, led by Velupillai Prabhakaran, sought to avenge alleged abuses by the IPKF, identifying Gandhi as a high-value target of their rage. The Hunt, adapted from Anirudhya Mitra's non-fiction book Ninety Days: The True Story of the Hunt for Rajiv Gandhi's Assassins, begins on Gandhi's last day. Gandhi (Rajiv Kumar) arrives in Sriperumbudur late into the night. A group of Tamil Tigers, led by the one-eyed Sivarasan (Shafeeq Mustafa), is patiently waiting for him. In the first of several miracles for the inquiry led by Kaarthikeyan (Amit Sial), a still camera containing photographs of the perpetrators survives the blast even though the photographer Haribabu doesn't. Haribabu (Vishnu G Warrier) is one of many local LTTE sympathisers, instructed to capture the impact of the suicide attack for propaganda purposes. The contours of Sivarasan's plot soon comes into view. Kaarthikeyan and his core teammates – Amit (Sahil Vaid), Ragothaman (Bagavathi Perumal), Amod Kant (Danish Iqbal), Radhavinod (Girish Sharma) and Ravindran (Vidyut Garg) – assiduously track down and interrogate the plotters. Sivarasan and his hardened aides manage to evade capture. Mounting pressure leads to the deployment of custodial beatings and even the threat of rape. The early episodes of The Hunt have a rough time setting up the conspiracy without boring viewers. The dialogue switches between Tamil and Hindi, with Kaarthikeyan – a Tamilian in real life – bizarrely shown as a Hindi speaker. (Some aspects of Sivarasan's dastardly scheme and the manhunt have already inspired plot points in The Family Man 's second season, in which an ex-LTTE operative tries to carry out one last mission.) After its initial clumsiness, The Hunt gets down to business. The screenplay by Nagesh Kukunoor, Rohit Banawlikar and Sriram Rajan gradually attains the rigour of an engaging police procedural. Pedestrian lines such as 'The Gandhi family is very unlucky' and 'Rajiv Gandhi must go!' (attributed to Prabhakaran, played by Jyothish MG) make way for the dogged pursuit of a formidable adversary. There are just about enough details of the larger political backdrop to satisfy the mildly curious viewer. The events explored over seven episodes remain sensitive, with unverified theories about the assassination still floating around. The show's creators sidestep the minefields presented by pro-LTTE sentiment within Tamil Nadu, or the role, if any, played by politicians in delaying the capture of the fugitives. This welcome lack of sensationalism does dilute the absurdity of the circumstances surrounding Sivarasan's end game. The absence of finger-pointing does not preclude attempts to understand the ideology of the Tigers. A character observes that 'One man's hero is another man's terrorist' – a reworking of an oft-quoted line from Gerald Seymour's novel Harry's Game. Although Sivarasan is portrayed as a comic book villain, his commitment to his cause, which is matched by the other Tigers, is unmistakeable. Parallels are drawn between the camaraderie within Kaarthikeyan's group and the solidarity between Sivarasan and his comrades. Amit Sial embodies the show's carefully calibrated approach. Sial's Kaarthikeyan is methodical, cool-headed, resigned even, whether firefighting with his bosses or facing the prospect that Sivarasan may never be caught. There are solid turns from Bagavathi Perumal, Sahil Vaid and Vidyut Garg as government officials bound by rules but not always contained by them. The overall feeling is of a job well done, despite the hiccups and the meddling. The motives behind the political double-dealing and Indian links to the storied separatist movement are left to other, more ambitious creators. Play
