Pune: An application to seize the bail bond of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in the criminal defamation case was filed by Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, before a special magisterial court on Friday for not recording his plea to commence the trial.
The court directed Gandhi’s lawyer, Milind Pawar, to file a written statement on Satyaki’s plea by May 28.
Satyaki’s plea, filed through his lawyer Sangram Kolhatkar, stated that Gandhi wilfully abstained from recording the plea on multiple occasions since he was released on bail on January 10. It mentioned that the court considered Gandhi’s status as a Member of Parliament and Leader of Opposition, and permitted him to be present before the court through video conferencing and allowed him to be represented by his lawyer.
The plea also stated that the court imposed the condition that Gandhi would not seek adjournment and his lawyer would be present on every date of the trial. Satyaki’s plea claimed that Gandhi deliberately avoided recording his plea and requested for coercive action against him to secure his presence for the trial.
The magisterial court on January 10 granted bail to Gandhi in the case filed by Satyaki over alleged objectionable remarks made by the Congress leader against the Hindutva ideologue in his March 2023 speech in London.
Courtesy : TOI
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