A defamation case against Rahul Gandhi, the leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, for his remarks on Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Savarkar was closed by a criminal court in Nashik. A case was registered under section 499 (defamation) and 504 (intentional insult) of the erstwhile Indian Penal Code and summons were issued by the Nashik court to Rahul in September 2024. Rahul pleaded not guilty and was granted bail with the permission to attend the proceedings virtually. The court ordered an inquiry under section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in September 2024. The complainant Bhutada had withdrawn the case after the Nashik police submitted their report.

Source: The Telegraph March 12, 2026 11:19 UTC