Savarkar Defamation Case Twists: Court Finds CD Blank, Rejects Plea to Play Rahul Gandhi’s Video

Fresh drama unfolded inside a Pune courtroom during the ongoing Savarkar defamation case after a CD submitted as evidence—containing Rahul Gandhi’s alleged 2023 speech—was found completely blank. The surprising discovery led the court to reject multiple applications filed by complainant Satyaki Savarkar, the grand-nephew of V D Savarkar.

CD With Rahul Gandhi’s Alleged Speech Found Empty

On November 14, during Satyaki Savarkar’s examination-in-chief, the CD that was expected to contain the video of Rahul Gandhi’s alleged defamatory remarks made in London in 2023 could not be played. Technical checks revealed the disc contained no data.

Following this, Satyaki’s lawyer, Advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, requested the court to instead play the video directly from the YouTube link. However, Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer, Advocate Milind Pawar, objected to the request.

Court Rejects YouTube Link as Evidence

Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Amol Shinde ruled that the YouTube URL could not be accepted because it lacked a valid Section 65-B certificate, which is mandatory for electronic evidence under Indian law.

The court pointed out that while the CD was accompanied by a Section 65-B certificate, the same certificate cannot be used for the YouTube link, making the online video inadmissible.

Second CD Also Missing From Court Records

On November 27, Satyaki Savarkar filed another request—this time asking the court to play an “additional CD” he claimed had been submitted earlier.

The court, however, noted that no such CD existed on record, effectively dismissing the plea.

Call for Judicial Inquiry

Advocate Kolhatkar has now demanded a judicial inquiry, stating:

“When the case was first registered in 2023, the original CD played perfectly in front of the earlier judge. Now it has no data. We want clarity on how this happened.”

He also claimed the additional CD had gone missing from court custody.

What Triggered the Case?

Satyaki Savarkar’s 2023 complaint alleges that Rahul Gandhi, now the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, made defamatory comments about V D Savarkar during a speech in London. According to the complaint, Gandhi claimed Savarkar had written that he and a group of friends once beat up a Muslim man and felt happy about it.

The complainant asserts that no such incident ever occurred, and V D Savarkar never wrote any such statement in any of his works.

Case Continues Amid Evidence Dispute

With the key evidence now missing or invalid, and allegations of tampering surfacing, the courtroom proceedings have taken a dramatic turn. The judge will next decide whether a judicial inquiry is required into the blank CD and the missing media material.