"The case was filed based on the complaint lodged by Vandana Dongre, a functionary of the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The complainant alleged that Gandhi hurt the sentiments of citizens through his derogatory statements against Savarkar," the official told PTI.
The case was registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 500 (defamation) and 501 (printing or engraving matter knowing it to be defamatory), he added.
During the Bharat Jodo yatra in Maharashtra's Akola district, Rahul Gandhi claimed that Savarkar helped the British rulers and wrote a mercy petition to them out of fear, thereby betraying Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, and other leaders of the freedom struggle.
The Wayanad MP had also addressed a rally in the Washim district two days ago, where he called Savarkar a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as per PTI reports.
"He was jailed in Andaman for two three years. He started writing mercy petitions," the Congress MP had said there.
The BJP and Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, the faction led by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, have criticized Rahul Gandhi over the remarks. Uddhav Thackeray, whose faction of the Sena is in alliance with the Congress, also disapproved of Gandhi's statements against Savarkar.
Ranjit Savarkar, the late Hindutva ideologue's grandson, on Thursday, lodged a complaint at Shivaji Park police station in Mumbai against Gandhi for allegedly insulting his grandfather.
Gandhi is already facing another defamation case in Thane district. In 2014, an RSS worker filed a case against Gandhi after watching his speech in Thane's Bhiwandi township, where the Congress leader alleged that the RSS was behind the killing of Mahatma Gandhi.
(With PTI inputs)
