Rahul Gandhi has moved the Supreme Court seeking relief from criminal proceedings initiated against him in connection with remarks made about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The case arose after a complaint was filed by advocate Nripendra Pandey, who alleged that Gandhi’s comments, made in November 2022, portrayed Savarkar as a British loyalist and pension recipient, thereby stirring communal sentiments. The complaint, filed under Section 153a and Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code, claimed the statements had the potential to incite hatred and disrupt public harmony.
Initially dismissed by an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in June 2023, the complaint was later revived by a Sessions Court, which directed the Magistrate to reconsider the matter. This led to the issuance of summons against Gandhi in December 2024 by a Lucknow Court.
Gandhi had earlier approached the Allahabad High Court to have the summoning order set aside. However, the High Court declined to intervene, suggesting that the appropriate forum would be the Sessions Court under available procedural law. The Magistrate court had also imposed a cost of ₹200 on Gandhi for failing to appear during earlier proceedings.
With the High Court declining to entertain the challenge, Gandhi has now filed a special leave petition before the apex court. The case is listed for hearing before a Bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan.
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