Mumbai, May 8 The Bombay High Court on Friday issued notice to Sanjay Raut on an appeal filed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya's wife challenging a lower court order acquitting the Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP in a defamation plaint.
Medha Somaiya had filed a defamation complaint before a magistrate's court through advocate Laxman Kanal claiming Raut made baseless and defamatory allegations in the media against her and her husband in 2022.
On September 26 last year, a judicial magistrate held Raut guilty of defamation under Indian Penal Code section 500. Besides sentencing him to 15 days in jail, the court had also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on him.
Challenging the magistrate's ruling, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader later filed an appeal before the sessions court for cases against MPs and MLAs.
In February this year, the sessions court overturned the magistrate's ruling and acquitted Raut, holding that it cannot be proved that the alleged defamatory news article was published at the instructions of Raut.
The court clarified that as the "executive editor" of Saamana, Raut could not be held legally liable for every news item published.
Medha Somaiya moved the High Court in April challenging the sessions court order claiming it was bad in law and illegal.
A single bench of Justice S G Dige on Friday issued notice to Raut and posted the matter for hearing on June 18.
The BJP leader's wife had claimed Raut made baseless and completely defamatory allegations in the media against her and her husband, accusing them of being involved in a Rs 100 crore scam related to the construction of public toilets in Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation area.
