Sanjay Raut granted bail in Medha Somaiya defamation case

The case stems from an article published in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna in 2022, which accused Medha Somaiya, wife of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, of being involved in a ₹100-crore scam related to building toilets in Mira-Bhayandar

MUMBAI: The sessions court on Friday granted bail to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, who was sentenced to 15 days’ imprisonment by the magistrate’s court in a defamation case filed by BJP leader Medha Somaiya. Raut was granted bail on a bond of ₹50,000, allowing him temporary relief from the sentence while his appeal is pending. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for January 31, 2025.

Sanjay Raut granted bail in Medha Somaiya defamation case

The case stems from an article published in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna in 2022, which accused Medha Somaiya, wife of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, of being involved in a ₹100-crore scam related to building toilets in Mira-Bhayandar. The article alleged that toilets were constructed illegally by cutting mangroves and bypassing environmental clearances.

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.

During Thursday’s hearing, Somaiya’s counsel advocate Laxman Kanal argued that bail and suspension of sentence should not be permitted for Raut as he is a convicted individual. Raut’s legal team, on the other hand, contended that the conviction order lacked legal merit.