New Delhi, August 14 (HS): In an unexpected legal U-turn, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s counsel, Milind D. Pawar, will on Thursday formally withdraw a petition in a Pune court that claimed Gandhi’s life was under threat — a filing that has sparked political satire and public ridicule.

The petition was submitted during ongoing criminal defamation proceedings against Gandhi over his controversial remarks on freedom fighter Veer Savarkar. It alleged security concerns for Gandhi at court appearances. However, in a damage-control statement, Pawar admitted the filing was made without Gandhi’s instructions or consent.

Sources confirm that Rahul Gandhi expressed strong displeasure over the move, disagreeing entirely with its contents. Following the backlash, Pawar announced he would retract the petition in the special MP-MLA court in Pune.

The defamation case, arising from Gandhi’s Savarkar comments, has been politically sensitive, attracting intense media and public attention. Wednesday’s hearing saw the court take note of the contested petition before Pawar’s decision to reverse course.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar