Pune Court: Rahul Gandhi Can't Be Forced to Produce ‘Book’ in Savarkar Defamation Case

A Pune Special MP/MLA Court on Thursday dismissed an application seeking access to the book allegedly referred to by Rahul Gandhi during his controversial London speech against Vinayak Savarkar.

Judge Amol Shinde ruled that Rahul Gandhi could not be forced to produce the book, as doing so would violate his constitutional protection against self-incrimination under Article 20(3) of the Constitution.

The Court emphasised that the burden of proof rests on the complainant, Satyaki Savarkar, Savarkar’s grandnephew.

The complaint alleges Gandhi made false and defamatory claims about Savarkar to damage his reputation. The case will now continue as a summons trial.