Mumbai. A Mumbai court on Thursday sentenced Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut to 15 days in jail and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 in a defamation case filed by Medha Kirit Somaiya, wife of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya. Mr Raut has decided to appeal against the verdict in the High Court. Mazgaon Metropolitan Magistrate Aarti Kulkarni convicted the Rajya Sabha MP under Section 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code and directed him to pay the fine amount to the complainant, against whose NGO he had made allegations of financial irregularities. The court passed this order in a two-year-old defamation case filed by Mrs Somaiya against Mr Raut, in which she had alleged a Rs 100 crore toilet construction scam in Mira Road (Thane). The NGO run by Mrs Somaiya was involved in the construction of toilets. Reacting to the court’s decision, Mr Raut said he had only raised questions based on official records, raising doubts on the issue of toilet construction, which was also supported by leaders of the ruling Mahayuti alliance. He said, “So where have I done any defamation?
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said that he will challenge this order in the High Court soon. It is worth noting that Mr. Raut, among other things, had also claimed that Mrs. Somaiya was involved in the scam, after which he filed a case. While talking to reporters, Mrs. Somaiya expressed happiness over the court’s decision and said that her faith in the judiciary has been strengthened. She said, I am a simple housewife, who is engaged in social service and educational activities, but I will fight anyone who tries to harm my family members. She said, “I am satisfied with the court’s decision. This will prevent others from making such absurd allegations. It is worth noting that Mr. Raut had accused Mrs. Somaiya and her family members of the alleged scam in 2022 and claimed that he had documentary evidence in support of it but he failed to produce it. Mrs. Somaiya first lodged a complaint at the Mulund police station and then filed a defamation suit in the Mazgaon court challenging Mr. Raut’s allegations.