Pune, May 3 -- The grandnephew of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar admitted before a special MP/MLA court here that the Hindutva ideologue had filed five mercy petitions with the British government and had appealed for recruitment into the British Army during World War II, even as he offered an explanation for both.

Satyaki Savarkar, who has filed a criminal defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly defaming Savarkar during a speech in London, made the admissions during his cross-examination before the court.

'Purpose was military training for future India'

Facing questions from Gandhi's counsel, Milind Pawar, Satyaki said the appeal for army recruitment was not an act of subservience but a strategic move to prepare yo...