Godse Lineage Sparks Security Concerns In Defamation Trial

There was a twist of events in a Pune court where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has presented an application before the court claiming risk to his life by the complainant in a defamation case against him. The case has acquired a politico-religious dimension as the counsel of Gandhi apparently pointed towards the heritage of the complainant saying that the complainant was the grandnephew of Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. This unfolds a high-security concern into the legal action.

Facts of the Case

This case is based on a criminal defamation case filled by Satyaki Savarkar grandnephew of V.D. Savarkar. The complaint was filed against Rahul Gandhi with regard to allegation of him making false statement defaming V.D. Savarkar during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. In one such court hearing of this case, Rahul Gandhi through his legal counsel filed a formal application conveying dire apprehension the safety of his life during the court proceeding.

Issue Raised

The main question that begs the application is that familial bonding of the complainant to Nathuram Godse is eligible as a credible threat to the life, safety of the defendants, Rahul Gandhi and therefore special protective mechanisms within the court are warranted.

Proceedings and Observations

In the Pune court, all the proceedings were revolving around the application made by the legal team of Rahul Gandhi. His defense line indicated that the identity of the complainant as grandnephew to Nathuram Godse was a direct cause of alarm, and clearly mentioned that this lineage was a threat to the life of Rahul Gandhi. On the basis of this felt threat, the applicant had asked the court to give required directions that would make him secure. The lawyer of the complainant on the other hand responded vehemently to the application terming it as a delaying application to the trial and politicizing a legal issue when it is not necessary. He contended that family ancestry is not a type of threat and this type of argument was groundless and saw it as a case of distraction of the focus regarding defamation. The application has been put on record and the court settled the next date of hearing on September 19 to present elaborate arguments on both sides in the court on the application.

Summary

As a political move in an active defamation case brought on by the grandnephew of V.D. Savarkar, Rahul Gandhi has officially lodged a threat to his life claim based on the lineage of the complainant as a grandnephew of Nathuram Godse. The court of Pune has been asked to put special precautionary measures by his legal team. The complainant has heavily discredited the claim terming it as a political move by stalling the legal process. The court will now rule the application that deals with such threat before the case on defamation begins.