Defamation case against Rahul Gandhi: Blank CD on LoP’s speech shocks court during hearing
Pune: In a dramatic twist during the hearing of the defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, a CD that had been submitted before a Pune MP/MLA Special Court as key evidence was found to be blank when played in court on Thursday.
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, has been accused of passing derogatory comments on Hindu ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, while speaking at an event in London. A complaint has been filed against Gandhi by Satyaki Savarkar, grandnephew of Savarkar, in this regard.
The case is being heard by Magistrate Amol Shinde. A sealed CD reportedly containing a recording of Gandhi’s speech in London had been submitted earlier as part of the evidence, according to a report in India Today. The CD had also been played in court at cognizance stage, after which, the court issued summons to the LoP.
On Thursday, however, during Satyaki Savarkar’s examination-in-chief, the CD was opened and played, only for the court to find that it contained no data.
The unexpected development shocked the complainant’s Advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, who pointed out that the CD had previously been played before the court and accepted as the basis for issuing summons to Gandhi. The lawyer requested the court to view the speech on YouTube directly.
Gandhi’s advocate Milind Dattatray Pawar objected strongly on grounds that online content was not automatically admissible and the objection was upheld on legal grounds by the magistrate.
The complainant’s lawyer later produced two other CDs, urging the Pune court to check them in open, to which, Pawar objected and the court again dismissed the plea by the advocate.
Kolhatkar requested for adjournment of hearing, seeking to challenge the rejections and to initiate a judicial inquiry regarding the CD turning blank.
While Pawar again challenged the request, the court agreed to list the case for further hearing.
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US–Iran first round direct talks conclude in Islamabad: Report
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The first round of direct talks between the United States and Iran, held in Islamabad, has concluded, Al Jazeera reported citing sources close to the development.
According to the report, following the discussions, delegations from both sides agreed to exchange written documents, a move aimed at ensuring clarity and consensus on the understandings reached during the meeting.
Both the Iranian and US delegations arrived in Islamabad on Saturday, April 11, amid high security for the peace talks.
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