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Satyaki Ashok Savarkar, grandnephew of Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar, has told a special MP/MLA court in Pune that he has not filed defamation complaints against individuals who refer to Savarkar as 'Mafiveer' or 'British agent'.
Mr. Satyaki made the statement on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) during cross-examination in the criminal defamation complaint he has filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for defaming his granduncle on multiple occasions. Special Judge Amol Shinde is presiding over the proceedings. Mr. Gandhi's counsel, advocate Milind Pawar, conducted the cross-examination.
Mr. Satyaki stated in his deposition that he cannot confirm why historians use these terms for his granduncle. He said the matter remains a subject of debate. "It is true to say that Savarkar was blamed as Mafiveer and Agent of British in spite of his contribution in freedom movement. But these points may be issue of debate. Therefore, I have not filed any complaint against anybody," he told the court.
The witness said he does not know whether these debated points are called mercy petitions by some historians. He also said he cannot state whether the allegations of being a 'Mafiveer' stem from differences of opinion about historical events. Mr. Satyaki added that he cannot say if the label of 'British Agent' is a critique based on Savarkar's political stance or his relationship with British rule.
Cross-examination details
During the cross-examination, Mr. Satyaki said he cannot state whether historians used the terms sarcastically or based on Savarkar's repeated mercy petitions. He told the court he cannot confirm the meaning of 'Mafiveer' in the context of seeking pardon for wrongs committed.
"I cannot say that Savarkar has shown his readiness to abandon violent path through the mercy petitions. I cannot say that many correspondence were there to British Government to release Savarkar," Mr. Satyaki said.
The witness added that if Savarkar had compromised with British authorities, he would have been appointed Prime Minister of India in 1946. He maintained that the conclusion Savarkar that was a British agent is not an indisputable historical fact but rather a controversial political or historical opinion.
Financial assistance from the British
Mr. Satyaki acknowledged that historical records show Savarkar sought financial assistance from the British Government while residing in Ratnagiri. However, he added that Savarkar sent these petitions according to rules established by the British authorities to obtain sustenance allowance.
"Even Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Sharadchandra Bose used to receive such sustenance allowance," Mr. Satyaki said in a voluntary addition to his testimony.
The witness noted that Mumbai University had withdrawn Savarkar's B.A. degree and British authorities denied certification for his law practice. He said he does not know if historians label Savarkar as a British agent based on these financial correspondence entries.
Case background
The defamation complaint asserts that Mr. Gandhi defamed Savarkar on multiple occasions. A specific incident cited in the complaint occurred on March 5, 2023, when the Congress leader addressed the Overseas Congress in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Satyaki has claimed that Mr. Gandhi made allegations against Savarkar knowing them to be untrue, intending to harm Savarkar's reputation and cause mental agony to the complainant and his family. The complaint states the speech was delivered in England, but its impact was felt in Pune as it was published and circulated throughout India.
He also submitted news reports and a YouTube link to Mr. Gandhi's London speech as evidence. He claimed Mr. Gandhi falsely accused Savarkar of writing a book describing beating up a Muslim person, an incident Savarkar never wrote about and that never happened.
Congress resolution for Savarkar’s release
Mr. Satyaki agreed that the Indian National Congress passed a resolution at Kakinada in 1923 for Savarkar's release. However, he said he is unsure if Savarkar was released because of such a resolution.
The criminal defamation application seeks maximum punishment for Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code and maximum compensation under Section 357 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The court will continue recording the testimony in the coming days.
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