Can't Say If Savarkar Was Released By British On Condition Not To Participate In Political Movements : Grandnephew To Court
Narsi Benwal
2 July 2026 5:40 PM IST
Continuing his cross-examination before a special MP/MLA court in Pune, Satyaki Savarkar has stated he cannot say whether his granduncle and right-wing ideologue Vinayak Savarkar was released from prison on condition to not participate in any political or revolutionary movement.
Satyaki is being cross-examined in the criminal defamation complaint that he has filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly defaming Savarkar by delivering a speech in London.
Gandhi's counsel Milind Pawar has been conducting the cross-examination of Satayaki.
In his latest testimony to the court, Satyaki stated :
"I cannot say this that Savarkar requested to release him on any condition in his mercy petition. I cannot say that, Savarkar had requested British Government to release him on condition that, he will not participate in any political and revolutionary movement. Savarkar was not released because of petitions he sent. In the year 1923, the Kakinada Congress passed resolution under the president Mohammad Ali Johar, to release Savarkar. Because the popularity of Savarkar was increasing day by day, the public pressure was increasing for his release. If the similar bill had been passed by the Congress before the execution of Bhagat Singh, the execution of Bhagatsingh, Sukhdev and Rajguru would have been avoided," Satyaki told the court.
Further, Satyaki also said that he cannot say if Savarkar wrote "Your Most Obedient Servant" in one of his mercy petitions submitted to the then British Government.
"I cannot say that, British employees used to say 'most obedient servant for correspondence to the government. I don't know that, Savarkar has used words 'most obedient servant' in his petition. It is true to say that, in (mercy petition taken on record) the petition dated March 30, 1920 the sentence 'I beg to remain, Sir, your most obedient servant' is written. There is no signature of Savarkar on the petition. I cannot say whether the petition is authentic or not," Satyaki said.
The cross-examination will continue on July 7.
Background:
The defamation complaint asserts that Gandhi has repeatedly defamed Savarkar on various occasions over the years. One specific incident highlighted was on March 5, 2023, when Gandhi addressed the Overseas Congress in the United Kingdom.
The complainant, Satyaki Savarkar, has claimed that Gandhi intentionally made wild allegations against Savarkar, knowing them to be untrue, with the intention of harming Savarkar's reputation and causing mental agony to the complainant and his family. He states that the defamatory speech was delivered in England, but its impact was felt in Pune as it was published and circulated throughout India.
Satyaki, in his complaint, has submitted several news reports and a YouTube link to a video of Gandhi's speech in London as evidence. He has claimed that Gandhi falsely accused Savarkar of writing a book in which he described beating up a Muslim person, which Savarkar never wrote and such an incident never happened.
Satyaki argued that Gandhi made these false, malicious, and wild allegations with the specific objective of defaming Savarkar and harming his reputation.
The criminal defamation application filed by Satyaki demands maximum punishment for Gandhi under Section 500 (Punishment for defamation) of the IPC and seeks imposition of maximum compensation as per Section 357 (Order to pay compensation) of the CrPC.
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