Sanjay Raut gets 15-day jail following a conviction in a defamation case. The Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader was sentenced by a metropolitan magistrate in Mazgaon, Mumbai. Along with the jail term, he was also levied a fine of Rs 25,000.
It was an open-and-shut case initiated by allegations made by Raut against Dr Medha Kirit Somaiya, wife of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya. Sanjay Raut gets 15-day jail for accusing the Somaiyas of involvement in a Rs 100 crore scam. This scam allegedly involved the construction and maintenance of public toilets in Mira Bhayandar. The court held Raut’s media statements to be defamatory.
She had filed a case stating that the remarks by Raut had damaged her character. The court held that the Somaiyas’ reputation was maliciously sought to be maligned by Raut’s statements. This controversy turned all the more incendiary when it featured a Marathi news channel airing videos purportedly featuring Kirit Somaiya in compromising positions, causing an explosion in Maharashtra’s political firmament. Sanjay Raut gets 15 days of jail because of these accusations.
Kirit Somaiya rejected the allegations and asked for an investigation by Maharashtra’s Home Minister. Raut is also known for his duty as Executive Editor of the Marathi daily Saamana, founded by Uddhav Thackeray. Earlier he was in news for controversial remarks over Muslims voting rights.
Sanjay Raut is a Shiv Sena leader who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in 2022 on suspicion of involvement in Patra Chawl scam. It is estimated that this scam involves abuse of Rs. 60,000 crores. Raut is facing deep trouble now because he knows the mastermind behind all the mischief is Pravin Raut. Sanjay Raut gets 15-day jail, adding to the already existing political rivalry between Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP that may affect Raut’s political future.
