Sanjay Raut gets bail in defamation case; says he was made ‘scapegoat’
Raut has vowed to challenge his conviction, which has now been suspended for 30 days, in the high court
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday vowed to challenge in a high court his conviction in a defamation case and alleged that he had been made a scapegoat ahead of Assembly elections in Maharashtra.
A Mumbai court on Thursday sentenced the Rajya Sabha member to 15 days’ simple imprisonment in a defamation complaint filed against him by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya's wife Medha Somaiya.
It later suspended the sentence for 30 days and granted bail to him.
Raut taunts Modi
Addressing the media, Raut asked how people like him who raise voice against corruption would get justice when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Supreme Court Chief Justice’s house to eat “modak”.
He was referring to Modi’s visit to DY Chandrachud’s residence during the Ganesh festival earlier this month.
In her complaint, Medha said Raut accused them of being involved in a Rs 100-crore scam over the construction and maintenance of some public toilets on the outskirts of Mumbai.
I am a scapegoat, says Raut
“I have been made a scapegoat because of the impending Assembly elections in Maharashtra,” said Raut.
The Sena leader said he had pointed out that some work had taken place in Mira Bhayander through Yuvak Pratisthan, an organisation linked to Kirit, and that there were irregularities in it.
Even Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik had demanded a probe into the matter and there was a discussion in the state Assembly, Raut said.
Raut blasts judiciary
“If I said this, how have I defamed anyone? Everything is on record. There is also a Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation report. I have only asked questions about whether there is corruption. But the entire judiciary in the country is influenced by the RSS (‘sanghikaran’), right from top to bottom. I will appeal in the sessions court and we tell the people how we are wronged,” Raut said.
Besides convicting Raut under the Indian Penal Code section 500 (defamation), Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Aarti Kulkarni also fined him Rs 25,000.