5 days ago
Rahul Gandhi granted bail in Savarkar defamation case
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, was granted bail on Thursday (July 24, 2025) in a private defamation case filed against him for comments on Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar in 2022. Mr. Gandhi, who appeared before the court for 10 minutes via video conferencing, pleaded 'not guilty' to the defamation charges read out to him. His legal team thereafter moved for bail.
Rahul Gandhi has also appealed in the Nashik Sessions Court against the issuing of process by the additional chief judicial magistrate. The appeal will be heard next month.
'A defamation case was filed by a private individual in Nashik over Rahul Gandhi's remarks on V. D. Savarkar during a press conference in Hingoli in 2022. Thereafter, the court had asked Mr. Gandhi to remain present in court. Since he couldn't come personally, we moved an application two months ago seeking permission for him to appear via video conferencing. It was granted. So today, at around 4 p.m., Rahul Gandhi appeared in the court room via VC. He was there for 10 minutes. The magistrate read out the reasons for the trial. He said he did not agree with them. After he pleaded 'not guilty,' we moved his bail application. He was granted bail on a bond of ₹15,000,' Advocate Jayant Jaybhave, Rahul Gandhi's lawyer, told The Hindu from Nashik.
Criminal defamation
A Nashik resident who runs an NGO had filed a criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi under sections 500 (defamation) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code.
The complaint had stated, 'The speech of the accused, along with press statements, attempt to ruin the reputation of the complainant's idol, Swatantryaveer Savarkar and diminish his contribution to society, along with his noble work in the pre-independence period.'
The complaint further alleged that Rahul Gandhi had said, Savarkar prayed for release with folded hands and later promised to work for the British government.
