RSS worker Rajesh Kunte had in 2014 lodged a defamation complaint before the Bhiwandi magistrate's court, claiming the Congress leader had made false and defamatory statements during a speech that the right-wing outfit was responsible for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

 In 2023, the magistrate court in Bhiwandi in Thane district permitted Kunte to submit the transcript of Gandhi's speech, which was part of a petition the Congress leader had filed in 2014 seeking the quashing of summons issued to him. Kunte contended that by including the transcript as part of his petition, Gandhi had "unambiguously owned up to the speech and its contents". Gandhi challenged the magistrate's order before the high court. 

On Friday, a single bench of Justice Prithviraj Chavan allowed Gandhi's petition. "The petition is allowed. Impugned order and consequent exhibition of documents are quashed and set aside. The magistrate court is directed to proceed with the trial regarding the exhibit in accordance with the observations made in the order," the court said.