Rahul Gandhi is set to withdraw an application filed in a Pune court alleging a threat to his life in a defamation case related to his remarks against V.D. Savarkar. This decision comes after his lawyer, Advocate Milind Pawar, submitted the application without Gandhi's consent or prior consultation.

The situation unfolded when Pawar filed a statement in court citing a "threat to his life" for Gandhi, which Gandhi strongly disagreed with. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate stated on social media that Gandhi did not approve of the statement and that his lawyer would withdraw the application. Pawar himself acknowledged that the contents of the application were drafted without consulting Gandhi and that he would file a formal application for withdrawal on August 14.

The defamation case against Rahul Gandhi was filed by Satyaki Savarkar, the grand-nephew of V.D. Savarkar. Savarkar alleges that in a speech in London in March 2023, Gandhi falsely claimed that V.D. Savarkar wrote in a book about how he and five or six of his friends beat up a Muslim man and felt happy about it. Satyaki Savarkar contends that no such incident occurred and that V.D. Savarkar never wrote anything of the kind. He is seeking Gandhi's conviction under Section 500 IPC and compensation under Section 357 CrPC. The court has already granted bail to Rahul Gandhi in the case.

In the application citing a threat to life, Pawar highlighted the complainant's family lineage, noting Satyaki Savarkar's maternal connection to Nathuram Godse and Gopal Godse, both principal accused in Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. The application suggested that individuals connected with Savarkar's ideology might be hostile towards Gandhi, creating a "reasonable apprehension" of harm. It also referenced Rahul Gandhi's role as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, recent press conferences alleging electoral malpractice, and a heated parliamentary exchange on Hindutva. Furthermore, the application mentioned that Gandhi claimed his "vote chori" allegations had provoked political opponents and cited "two public threats" from BJP leaders.

Satyaki Savarkar's counsel, Advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, has criticized the application as a delaying tactic, questioning why it was filed in the first place. Meanwhile, Pawar maintained that the application was initially filed to place certain important developments on judicial record to provide the entire political and historical context.

This episode has added a new layer of complexity to the ongoing defamation case, with questions arising about the motivations behind the initial filing and the implications of its withdrawal. The court is expected to address the withdrawal application on August 14, marking the next step in this legal battle.