Savarkar’s 10 clemency pleas not ‘submissive’ to British: Relative

4 min readPuneJun 16, 2026 11:33 AM IST

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (left) and Satyaki Savarkar (right), the grand nephew of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar had filed 10 clemency petitions before the British government, but it was incorrect to say that the language used in the pleas was “submissive” or “expressed loyalty” to the then government, his grand-nephew Satyaki told a Pune court on Monday.

Satyaki, who had filed a defamation complaint against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his alleged objectionable remarks against Savarkar during a speech in London on March 5, 2023, made the remarks before a special MP/MLA court in Pune.

Satyaki was cross-examined by Gandhi’s counsel, Milind Pawar, before special judge Amol Shinde.

Satyaki told the court that the British government had rejected Savarkar’s clemency petitions. “The Britisher had in their reply to these petitions expressed concern that if Savarkar was released (from Andaman jail), he would again participate in revolutionary activities and cause a danger to British rule… Savarkar was not released merely because he submitted petitions,” Satyaki told the court.

According to Satyaki, in his speech, Gandhi mentioned that Savarkar had written a book in which he stated that he (Savarkar) and five to six of his friends were beating up a Muslim and were “delighted” about it. Satyaki denied the incident and said that Savarkar had not written any such book.

“Language used in the petitions was official and administrative in nature. Savarkar sought not only his own release but also the release of other prisoners languishing in Andaman jail for a long time,” Satyaki said.

He submitted that there was no expert report available to establish that the language in Savarkar’s petitions was merely formal or part of a strategic approach. But he said that, according to the then Home Member of the Government of India, Reginald Craddock, the language used by Savarkar in the mercy petitions was “deceptive”.

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Satyaki’s lawyer objected that questions (on the clemency petition) were unrelated to the case. Advocate Pawar requested that the objection be decided at the final stage.

‘Veer’ tag questioned

Satyaki was also cross-examined on Savarkar being called “Veer (brave)” despite filing clemency petitions. He was also questioned about freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Batukeshwar Dutt, and Ashfaqullah Khan, who did not file clemency petitions and were hanged to death by the British government, but were still not called “Veer”.

The day after Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru were hanged by the British, Savarkar wrote a poem about Bhagat Singh, calling him “Veer”, Satyaki said. “Other revolutionaries who were executed were also glorified from time to time in his articles and poems,” he added.

Satyaki said Savarkar was referred to as “Veer” even before being sent to Andaman, in a periodical published by the Ghadar organisation. “It is not true that calling a person who filed 10 clemency petitions ‘Veer’ is contradictory,” Satyaki added.

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“Savarkar’s clemency petitions are available in official records. I have not submitted those petitions on record as this case concerns Rahul Gandhi’s alleged defamation of Savarkar and not the clemency petitions,” he said.

He also submitted that clemency petitions were a regular procedure in the British system for seeking sentence reduction. “It is true that not only Savarkar but other prisoners also filed such petitions,” he said.

In May 2024, the Pune city police had submitted an inquiry report before the court, saying Gandhi had defamed Savarkar in his speech before the Indian diaspora in London in March 2023. In September 2024, the case was transferred to the special MP/MLA court in Pune. In July last year, Rahul Gandhi, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had pleaded not guilty in the defamation case. The next hearing will be held on July 1.

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Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs.

Professional Profile

Specialization:

He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation.

Key Beats:

His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Background:

Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape.

Awards and Recognition:

He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve.

He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)

In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry.

1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases

“Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025).

Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links.

“The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025)

Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas.

“How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025)

After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital.

“A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025).

Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train.

“No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025)

Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence.

2. Inter-state firearms racket

"Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025)

"Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025)

Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh

3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams

“Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025)

An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country

‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025)

Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds

Signature Style: The Investigative Hit

Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers.

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Vinayak Damodar Savarkar