Sanjay Raut gets bail, hours after being sentenced to 15-day jail, in defamation case filed by Somaiya’s wife; gets bail

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut. File
| Photo Credit: Vijay Bate

The Mazagaon Metropolitan Court in Mumbai on Thursday (September 26, 2024) convicted Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and sentenced him to 15 days’ simple imprisonment after finding him guilty of defaming BJP leader and former MLA Kirit Somaiya and his wife Medha Somaiya. The court found him guilty under Section 500 (defamation) and imposed a fine of ₹25,000 on Mr. Raut to be paid to the complainant, Ms. Medha.

Immediately after the court order, Mr. Raut’s lawyer filed two pleas and appealed for his bail and suspension of the sentence to file an appeal in the Sessions Court. Granting the Sena leader bail with a cash security of ₹15,000, judicial magistrate Aarti A. Kulkarni permitted the sentence to be suspended for 30 days and allowed him to file an appeal in the Sessions Court.

Speaking to the press, Mr. Raut said, “We will challenge the order in the Mumbai Sessions Court. I had merely raised certain questions based on certain official records, raising doubts on the toilet construction issue, which was also endorsed by ruling Mahayuti alliance leaders, so where have I made any defamation?”

Mr. Raut also mentioned the Congress leader and said, “Rahul Gandhi was also targeted in a similar manner before the Lok Sabha polls. I am being sentenced before the Assembly polls. Please mind this pattern. The judiciary is under huge pressure. In a country where the Prime Minister goes to the house of the Chief Justice of India, how can a common man like me expect justice.”

The case was filed by Ms. Somaiya against Mr. Raut’s allegations of her involvement in a ₹100-crore toilet scam.

‘Baseless allegations’

Advocate Vivekanand Gupta, who represented Ms. Somaiya, told Today News 24, “We have filed a complaint in April 2022 after Mr. Raut had made baseless allegations that the Somaiya couple were involved in a ₹100-crore toilet scam by misusing the funds that were meant for construction of toilets in the Mira-Bhayander region of Mumbai’s suburbs. After going through the issuance of process, the court convicted him.”

In 2022, Ms. Somaiya, a professor of organic chemistry, had approached the court alleging that an article in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana accused the Somaiya couple of their involvement in a toilet scam. Mr. Raut is the executive editor of Saamana. He had alleged that Yuva Pratishthan, a non-government organisation run by the Somaiya family, was involved in the scam.

Addressing presspersons after the court proceedings, the Somaiyas said the allegations made against them were baseless, irresponsible, had no proof and were made with the intention of maligning their reputation in society.

“I am an ordinary housewife, engaged in social service and educational activities. But I will fight anyone who tries to harm my family members. I am satisfied by the court’s verdict. It will prevent others from making such absurd allegations,” Ms. Somaiya added.