Sanjay Raut sentenced to 15 days in jail in defamation case filed by BJP leader’s wife

A magistrate’s court in Mumbai has convicted Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut in a defamation case brought by Medha Somaiya, the wife of former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya. The verdict was announced on Thursday in the Mazgaon magistrate court, where Raut was found guilty under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code.

The court sentenced Raut to 15 days of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000. The case stemmed from allegations made by Medha Somaiya, a professor of organic chemistry, regarding defamatory statements attributed to Raut on April 15 and 16, 2022. These statements were published in various newspapers, prompting Medha to submit supporting documents and video clips of Raut's comments to media channels.

In her complaint, Medha sought an unconditional apology and a permanent injunction to prevent Raut from making further defamatory statements. The case highlighted an article in the Sena's mouthpiece, Saamana, which accused the Somaiyas of involvement in a “toilet scam” within the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation. Medha contended that the allegations were baseless and aimed at damaging her reputation.

Following the issuance of a summons against Raut in June 2022, the court reserved its judgment on the case earlier on Thursday. Raut’s legal team is expected to seek a suspension of the sentence to allow for an appeal against the conviction.