Pune: A Pune court ordered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear in person before it on December 2 in connection with a defamation complaint filed against him by Hindutva icon V D Savarkar’s grandnephew.

Satyaki Savarkar had filed a complaint in a Pune court claiming Gandhi, in his speech in London in March 2023, stated that Savarkar had written in a book that he and five to six of his friends once beat up a Muslim man and he (Savarkar) felt happy. As per the plea, Savarkar has not written this anywhere.

The court had asked the police to investigate the allegations and file a report. The Vishrambaug police station had carried out the enquiry and said that there is a prima-facie truth in the complaint.

On October 4, Special court for MP/MLA, presided over by Joint Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Amol Shinde, had issued summons to Gandhi asking him to appear before it on October 23.

However, Gandhi did not appear as it was told that he did not receive the summons.

Advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, lawyer of petitioner Satyaki Savarkar, told PTI he approached the court on Monday praying to issue summons Gandhi to appear before the court.

Adv Milind Pawar approached the court on behalf of Gandhi and said the Congress leader will appear before the court on the next date, Kolhatkar said.

“However, we took an objection to Jadhav representing Gandhi as there was no ‘vakalatnama or pursis’ presented to the court. Advocate Jadhav told the court Gandhi will appear before the court under any circumstance. On this, court asked Gandhi to appear in court on December 2,” said Kolhatkar.