Fake: Meenakshi Lekhi’s father-in-law did not defend Nathuram Godse in court

New Delhi, July 27: A post claiming that Union Minister's father-in-law P N Lekhi had appeared for Nathuram Godse during the trial has gone viral.

In Hindi, a Facebook user had written that Meenakshi Lekhi's father-in-law Pran Nath Lekhi had gone out of his way to defend Godse from getting convicted by the court. Now she has called the farmers Mawali, the user also wrote.

The fact is that Lekhi's father-in-law had not appeared for Godse. In fact during the trial, Godse had refused any legal representation. Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead by Godse on January 30 1948. Nine persons were tried for conspiracy in the case.

In a book written by Gopal Godse, Nathuram's brother it was mentioned that he had preferred to argue his own case. Godse argued his case without challenging his conviction for murder.

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This makes it clear that no lawyer had argued for Nathuram Godse. Former Chief Justice the Punjab, G D Khosla in a book titled 'Murder of Mahatma' also establishes the fact that Godse had not sought legal representation. Justice Khosla had heard the appeals of Godse and others.

"Nathuram Godse had declined to be represented by a lawyer and had made a prayer that he should be permitted to appear in person and argue his appeal himself. This prayer had been granted, and so he stood in a specially constructed dock. His small defiant figure with flashing eyes and close-cropped hair offered a remarkable and immediately noticeable contrast to the long row of placid and prosperous-looking lawyers who represented his accomplices," Justice Khosla said in his book.

P N Lekhi was a well known lawyer who took part in the Quit India Movement and was imprisoned in 1945 and 1946. He was also detained during the emergency and spent over half of his imprisonment in solitary confinement. Lekhi passed away in 2010 at the age of 85.

This issue had cropped up in 2018 also when a Twitter user had posted, 'how I wish Pran Nath Lekhi had not defended Nathuram Godse, who killed the father of our nation.' To this Meenakshi Lekhi had written, ' spreading lies and rumours is an offence both in real life and on Twitter. I am reporting to the police and Twitter, since it has come fro a verified handle. We will see at the police station.'

Spreading lies and rumours is an offence both in real life and on twitter , I am reporting this to the police and Twitter, since it has come from a verified handle, will see at the police station #Twitter #FakeNews https://t.co/l40HV2Z7tJ

— Meenakashi Lekhi (@M_Lekhi) January 24, 2018

Hence it is clear that the claim that P N Lekhi had defended Godse in court during the trial into the assassination is entirely false.