Raut challenges conviction in defamation case

The case dates back to 2022, when an article published in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna accused Medha Somaiya, wife of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, of being involved in a corruption scandal related to a waste management project in Mira-Bhayandar

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha legislator Sanjay Raut has appealed in the sessions court against his conviction in a defamation case filed by BJP leader Medha Somaiya, in which he was sentenced to 15 days of simple imprisonment and fined ₹25,000.

Raut challenges conviction in defamation case

The case dates back to 2022, when an article published in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna accused Medha Somaiya, wife of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, of being involved in a corruption scandal related to a waste management project in Mira-Bhayandar. Somaiya responded by filing a defamation suit against Raut, arguing that the accusations were baseless and intended to malign her reputation.

In his appeal, Raut argued that the September 2024 judgment of the magistrate’s court was flawed as critical evidence in his defense was ignored and the magistrate failed to correctly interpret his role under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. The roles of editor and executive editor were different, he said in the appeal, noting that he could not be held responsible for writing or approving the article in question.

A defense witness also testified in the lower that Raut had no involvement in writing or approving the article, but this testimony was largely disregarded, the appeal further states.

Raut’s legal team has questioned the prosecution’s video evidence as well, which purportedly shows him making defamatory remarks during a press conference. The appeal challenges the authenticity of these videos, arguing that they were edited without forensic verification and could not be used as reliable evidence.

The appeal further argues that his name was not mentioned in the original article and that statements attributed to him during the press conference were misrepresented during the trial.