Rahul disowns threat plea filed in Pune court; lawyer admits error, to withdraw statement

Pune, Aug 13 In a dramatic turn in the ongoing defamation case against Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader has publicly disowned a legal application filed in his name before a Pune court, which claimed he faced a threat to his life.

The application, submitted on August 13 by Advocate Milind D. Pawar, cited grave apprehensions regarding Rahul Gandhi’s safety due to the lineage and ideological affiliations of the complainant, Satyaki Savarkar, a descendant of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Nathuram Godse.

However, hours after the plea made headlines, Pawar issued a press release admitting that the application was filed without Gandhi’s instructions or consent.

Pawar further confirmed that Gandhi had taken strong exception to the filing and expressed clear disagreement with its content: “The Pursis dated 13.08.2025 was filed by me in the Court without Instructions from the client. The contents of the Pursis were drafted by me without consulting my client Shri. Rahul Gandhi. My client has taken strong exception to filing of this Pursis dated 13.08.2025 and has expressed his disagreement with the contents of the Pursis. I shall file a formal application tomorrow for withdrawal of the said Pursis before the Hon'ble Court.”

A formal application for withdrawal of the plea is expected to be submitted to the court on August 14. The original application had sought “preventive protection” for Rahul Gandhi, citing threats from political opponents and referencing controversial remarks made by BJP leaders.

It also highlighted the complainant’s familial ties to individuals involved in Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, arguing that such lineage posed a risk to Rahul Gandhi’s safety and the fairness of the legal proceedings.

The defamation case itself stems from Rahul Gandhi’s 2023 speech in London, where he allegedly referenced an incident from Savarkar’s writings involving violence against a Muslim man.

Satyaki Savarkar has denied the existence of such an account and filed a complaint seeking Gandhi’s conviction under Section 500 of the IPC.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate clarified that the party had no role in the filing of the threat application and reiterated Gandhi’s disagreement with its content.

The episode has sparked political debate, with critics accusing the Congress of attempting to delay the trial, while supporters argue that the withdrawal reflects Gandhi’s commitment to due process and judicial integrity. The case will next be heard on September 10.

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