Pune: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been ordered by the Judicial Magistrate (First Class) to appear in court on Monday (August 19) to present his case regarding a controversial statement he made about freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (Swatantryaveer Savarkar).

There is curiosity about whether Rahul Gandhi will comply with this order and present his case in court. If he fails to appear despite receiving the summons, an arrest warrant may be issued against him.

The hearing of this case is ongoing in the court of Judicial Magistrate Akshi Jain. The court issued this order on May 30 after finding prima facie evidence in the complaint filed by Savarkar’s grandson, Satyaki Savarkar, regarding Gandhi’s offensive statement and the preliminary investigation report by Vishrambaug Police.

Rahul Gandhi made the controversial statement referencing Savarkar during a speech to the Indian diaspora in London.

Satyaki Savarkar subsequently filed a defamation case against Gandhi. The court had earlier directed the police to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report. A notice was also issued to the police for failing to comply with this order.

Finally, the police submitted their investigation report, which confirmed the presence of factual basis in Satyaki Savarkar's complaint against Rahul Gandhi.

The report noted that if the summons had been successfully served to Gandhi and he still failed to appear in court, an arrest warrant would be issued. However, if the summons had not been served, the court would wait.

Two-Year Imprisonment if Found Guilty:

A complaint has been filed against Rahul Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 200 of the Criminal Procedure Code for making a controversial statement about Veer Savarkar.

If found guilty, the maximum punishment for this offense is two years of imprisonment, as informed by Satyaki Savarkar's lawyer, Adv. Sangram Kolhatkar.