Uddhav Thackeray, Sanjay Raut seek discharge in defamation case filed by Shinde camp leader

File Pic/ PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut on Thursday reportedly moved an application in a court in Mumbai seeking discharge in a defamation case filed against them by Rahul Shewale, an MP from the rival Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, reported the PTI.

In his complaint, Rahul Shewale has accused them of publishing defamatory articles against him in Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana', as per the PTI.

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Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut have sought discharge on the ground that there is no iota of evidence against them. They claimed to be innocent and falsely implicated in the case, the news agency reported on Thursday.

While Uddhav Thackeray is the chief editor of 'Saamana', Sanjay Raut is its executive editor. Rahul Shewale is the group leader of CM Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha.

In their plea, Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut claimed that the allegations made against them are "absolutely vague and improbable".

Metropolitan magistrate (Mazgaon court), S B Kale, adjourned the matter for hearing till October 16, the PTI reported.

Rahul Shewale has sought action against the two leaders under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 500 (punishment for defamation) and 501 (printing or engraving matter knowing it to be defamatory) for publishing "defamatory articles" against him in the Marathi and Hindi editions of 'Saamana'.

In the complaint, filed through advocate Chitra Salunke, Rahul Shewale took objection to the articles with the headline 'Rahul Shewale has hotel, real estate business in Karachi' published on December 29, 2022.

"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 leveling false accusations against him to malign his image before the public at large," it read.

The articles were a "concocted story", "devoid of any merits" and a classic example of "vendetta journalism", it added.

Meanwhile, In August, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MP Sanjay Raut had pleaded not guilty in a case related to alleged defamatory article published by 'Saamana' against MP Rahul Shewale, a member of CM Shinde-faction.

(with PTI inputs)