The ongoing defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has taken a new turn with Satyaaki Savarkar, the great-grandson of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, filing a new application in a Pune court. The application requests that the court order a voice sample from Rahul Gandhi to facilitate the proper hearing of the case and ascertain the authenticity of certain electronic recordings. Satyaaki Savarkar's lawyer, Sangram Kolhatkar, argued that obtaining a voice sample is crucial for a fair investigation as it could help verify the details surrounding the alleged remarks made by Gandhi.

Kolhatkar further pointed out that section 349 of the Indian Citizen Security Code (BNSS), 2023 gives magistrates the authority to direct any individual to provide a voice sample during investigations or hearings. It is emphasized that while voice samples alone do not determine culpability, they serve as pivotal corroborative evidence in confirming the identity scientifically. The application seeks not only an order for Rahul Gandhi to present his voice sample to a competent authority or the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) but also calls for the forensic lab to conduct a comparison of the sample with a video recording that purportedly contains the controversial statements made by Gandhi.

This development raises significant implications for the ongoing legal proceedings and the political landscape surrounding the Congress party and its leadership. The case underscores the complex interplay between political discourse and legal accountability, which is particularly pronounced in India's charged political atmosphere. Observers will be keen on how this legal maneuvering will affect not only Rahul Gandhi's personal legal challenges but also the broader implications it may have on the Congress party's reputation as they navigate the contentious issues relating to historical figures like Savarkar that have polarized public opinion in contemporary India.