The Metropolitan Magistrates Court in Mumbai observed and has rejected the discharge applications of Shiv Sena, UBT leaders Uddhav Thackeray and MP Sanjay Raut in the defamation complaint filed by MP Rahul Shewale, their former ally.
In the present case, the complaint was filed over an article published in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana’ on December 29, 2022 which pertains to Shewale’s alleged real estate dealings. While Thackeray being the Chief Editor, Raut is the Executive Editor of Saamna.
Howevre, the Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Sewree SB Kale in the case obserevd an dhas refused to discharge the duo and the copy of the order is yet to be made vailable.
The court listed the matter for next month for recoding of the complainant’s evidence, while the court summoned and recorded Thackeray and Raut’s statements and released them on bail in August.
Therefore, Shewale is an MP from the Mumbai’s south-central constituency from the rebel Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The complaint is moved by him for the offences which are punishable under section 500, punishment for defamation and section 501, printing or engraving matter knowing it to be defamatory.
The said complaint was filed through advocate Chitra Salunke, Shewale alleged that the article from December 29, 2022 wrongly stated he had the real estate business in Karachi.
It has also been directed by the magistrate that the police investigation into the complaint as stated section 202 of the CrPC, while following this summons which were issued under section 204 of the CrPC. Adding to it, the court stated that the complainant strongly refuted all the allegations made in the said articles and categorically stated that this is merely a feeble attempt to damage the reputation and political career of the complainant by levelling false accusations against him to malign his image before the public at large. Thus, the complaint reads that the articles were a concocted story, devoid of any merits and a classic example of vendetta journalism. It as also been contended by them before the curt that they controlled the matter selected for publication. It being the Assistant editor Atul Joshi who oversaw the selection process.
In the said case, the Atul Joshi is the Assistant Editor and controls the selection of news in Saamna.