On Friday, the Shivdi Court issued a bailable arrest warrant against Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut in Mumbai. The warrant was issued based on the defamation complaint that was filed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya’s wife Medha Somaiya. The Court maintained that Raut had committed an offense under section 499 (defamation) and section 500 (Punishment for defamation) of the IPC.
The information was made public by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on July 8. Sharing the copy of the Court order on social media, Somaiya tweeted, “Warrant issued against Sanjay Raut by Mumbai Metropolitan Magistrate for an offense under sec 499, 500 IPC in the complaint of Medha Kirit Somaiya”.
Warrant issued against Sanjay Raut by Mumbai Metropolitan Magistrate for offence under sec 499, 500 IPC in complaint of Medha Kirit Somaiya
— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) July 8, 2022
मेधा किरीट सोमय्या यांनी दाखल केलेल्या तक्रारीवरून मुंबई महानगर दंडाधिकारीनी संजय राऊत यांच्याविरुद्ध कलम 499, 500 IPC साठी वॉरंट जारी केले pic.twitter.com/gLkvPR8YkM
According to the reports, Medha Somaiya, wife of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, had filed a complaint against Sanjay Raut alleging him of making malicious and unwarranted statements against her and her husband in the media. She had asked the officers at the Navghar Police Station to book him under sections 503, 506, and 509 of the IPC.
Medha also had alleged that Raut intended to criminally intimidate and threaten her with an attempt to indulge in her character assassination without any proof. Later on May 24, she filed a defamation suit against Raut seeking Rs 100 crore as damages.
This is after Sanjay Raut, editor in chief of the Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamna’, had published in the daily that Medha Somaiya was involved in the ‘toilet scam’ worth Rs 100 crores. The article stated that Medha had built unauthorized toilets and had cut mangroves without getting the requisite permissions from environmental authorities. It also added that she had looted the public money in the name of toilets and was leading a ‘fake and fraudulent NGO named Yuva Pratishthan.
Prof Dr Medha Somaiya filed Complaint against Sanjay Raut at Mulund East Police Station, demanding actions under IPC 503, 506, 509 for Character Assanition charging ₹100 crore Toilet Scams@BJP4India pic.twitter.com/7VfWRVM2DZ
— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) May 9, 2022
According to the complaint filed by Medha Somaiya, the article was picked up by the other print and digital media to create an image that she was involved in the scam. “These defendants (Raut and others) have denigrated and tarnished image of the plaintiff (Somaiya) in the eyes of the general public, etc such imputation which by itself harms her reputation is per se defamatory and actionable”, the defamation suit read.
To note, escalating the war of words with BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had charged the leader of being a part of the ‘toilet scam’. “It is just hilarious how he’s come from INS Vikrant to such levels of fraud and committed a toilet ghotala. I was amused when I looked at the papers. How documents were made up. I will soon come out with the details. The NGO Yuva Pratishthan which they are running and the family is involved and we have all the fake bills that were made,” Raut was quoted.
Reportedly, the Mumbai Metropolitan Magistrate has issued a bailable warrant against Sanjay Raut for committing an offense under section 499 (making or publishing any imputation) and section 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.
