Rahul Gandhi defamation case: Savarkar’s grandson admits Nathuram, Gopal Godse were active RSS members / Court confession shock

Pune: In a significant development in the defamation case involving Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, filed by Savarkar’s grandson Satyaki Savarkar, the complainant on Monday admitted that Nathuram Godse and his brother Gopal Godse were “active members” of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

The admission came during further cross-examination of Satyaki Savarkar by Gandhi’s counsel Milind D Pawar, appearing for Rahul Gandhi, before judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) Amol Shriram Shinde. The deposition records Satyaki as stating: “It is true to say that, my grandfathers Gopal Godse and Nathuram Godse were active members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.”

The cross-examination also brought out the family links between the Savarkars and Godses. Satyaki said Gopal Godse was his maternal grandfather and Sindhu Godse his maternal grandmother, while his mother was Himani Savarkar. He also confirmed that Gopal and Nathuram Godse were real brothers and described Nathuram as his grand-uncle. He further agreed that the Savarkar and Godse families were related. The witness also admitted that his mother and Gopal Godse worked for the Hindu Mahasabha until their deaths.

The cross-examination also dealt with the 1948 assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Satyaki agreed that Gandhi was assassinated at Birla House in Delhi on Jan 30, 1948, and that Gopal Godse and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar were accused in the case.

The defence also questioned Satyaki about an alleged interview given by Gopal Godse to a monthly magazine on Jan 28, 1994. Satyaki said he did not know about the interview. He similarly said he did not know whether Nathuram Godse had worked as an “intellectual executive” in 1944.

The complainant’s lawyer, Sangram Kolhatkar, objected to some of the questions concerning the RSS and Digambar Badge, arguing that they were not related to the case. The court recorded that the objections would be decided at the time of the final decision.

The cross-examination remained incomplete and was deferred to Sept 1.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/rahul-gandhi-defamation-case-savarkars-grandson-admits-nathuram-gopal-godse-were-active-rss-members/amp_articleshow/133305425.cms

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