Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut sentenced to 15 days in jail over defamation case filed by BJP leader's wife
By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Sep 26, 2024, 12:36 PM ISTThe controversy stemmed from an article in Saamana, the Shiv Sena's mouthpiece, that accused Medha and her husband Kirit Somaiya of being involved in a "toilet scam" in the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation. Medha's plea claimed that these accusations were baseless and intended to tarnish her image.
In a legal setback, a Mumbai magistrate's court on Thursday (September 26) convicted Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut in a defamation case filed by Medha Somaiya, wife of former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya. The court found Raut guilty under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with defamation, and sentenced him to 15 days of imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25,000.
The case dates back to April 2022, when Medha Somaiya, a professor of organic chemistry, filed a complaint against Raut, accusing him of making defamatory statements about her. These statements were published in various newspapers on April 15 and 16, 2022. Medha provided video clips and documents supporting her claim that Raut made the statements in media interviews, which she described as false and damaging to her reputation.
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The controversy stemmed from an article in Saamana, the Shiv Sena's mouthpiece, that accused Medha and her husband Kirit Somaiya of being involved in a "toilet scam" in the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation. Medha's plea claimed that these accusations were baseless and intended to tarnish her image.
Along with the defamation complaint, she sought an unconditional apology from Raut and a permanent injunction preventing him from making any further defamatory remarks.
After reviewing the evidence, the Mazgaon magistrate court issued a summons to Raut in June 2022. Following a series of hearings, the court reserved its judgment and delivered the verdict earlier today, convicting Raut of defamation.
Medha Somaiya's lawyer, Vivekanand Gupta, confirmed the sentencing and added that Raut's legal team is expected to seek a suspension of the sentence, likely to allow time for an appeal against the conviction.
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