NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear an appeal filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi challenging an order of the Allahabad High Court that had refused to quash the summons issued against him in a case related to alleged defamatory remarks about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.According to the cause list, a two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan is scheduled to hear the appeal by the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha on April 25 (Friday).During his Bharat Jodo Yatra, at a rally in Maharashtra’s Akola district, on November 17, 2022, Rahul had allegedly termed Savarkar a British servant who received a pension.Aggrieved by this comment, Advocate Nripendra Pandey, had filed a complaint against Rahul in the Lucknow lower court, which issued summons to the latter.The lower court, while issuing the summons, noted in its order that the remarks (by Rahul Gandhi) had spread hatred and ill-will in society.Challenging this order, Rahul moved the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad HC, which rejected his plea on April 4 this year, forcing him to knock on the doors of the Supreme Court for relief.Justice Subhash Vidyarthi of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had on April 4 this year refused to entertain Rahul’s plea after observing that he has the option to approach the sessions judge with a plea under Section 397 (Power to revise trial court’s order) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.Advocate Pandey, in his complaint, had accused Gandhi of intentionally insulting Savarkar during the rally.The complainant alleged Gandhi’s remarks were part of a well-planned conspiracy to defame Savarkar.
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