In a defamation case brought by Rahul Ramesh Shewale, a leader in the Eknath Shinde Faction of the Shiv Sena, the Delhi High Court has summoned Sanjay Raut, Uddhav Thackeray, and Aditya Thackeray. The respondents have been asked to submit their responses and the interim applications to the lawsuit, Justice Prateek Jalan did not issue an order for temporary relief.
Delhi High Court issues summons to Uddhav Thackeray, his son Aditya Thackeray in a civil defamation suit filed by Eknath Shinde faction leader Rahul Ramesh Shewale. The Court has also issued summons to Sanjay Raut also in the suit. The next date of hearing is April 17. pic.twitter.com/0L0jN54jbV
— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2023
Shewale sued Raut and others for defamation after they made claims that the Eknath Shinde faction had paid Rs. 2000 crores to “buy the Shiv Sena symbol”.
Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayyar, who was representing Shewale, asked the court to issue an injunction order to stop Raut and others from making any more false accusations. Nevertheless, Justice Prateek Jalan stated that a decision won’t be made until the parties have responded.
Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayyar appearing for Shewale prayed the court to pass an injunction order to restrain Raut and others from making any further defamatory allegations. However, Justice Prateek Jalan said that an order will be passed only after having the response of parties.
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) March 28, 2023
“These are political fights going on…as far as the institutions are concerned, Election commission’s shoulders are broad enough to deal with all this. Like the courts, people say all kinds of things about the commission,” Justice Jalan orally remarked.
While Nayar stated that the accusations shock the court’s conscience, the court stated, “The question is not whether it shocks my conscience or not. The question is that in the free marketplace of ideas, are people entitled to say things which might shock my conscience?”
The Court further said, “Mr Nayar I’m not going to say whether the accusations are true or false right now. I’m merely saying that after I have an affidavit on file, I’ll decide on that issue. On day one, I don’t want to impose a gag rule”.
In Shewale’s request for an interim injunction, the court also requested responses from the defendants, including Google and Twitter, and set a hearing date for April 17.
Earlier in January, for failing to appear in court for a defamation case brought against him by Medha Somaiya, the wife of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, a court in Maharashtra had issued a non-bailable warrant against Sanjay Raut. The Sewri metropolitan magistrate had issued the warrant.
Non Bailable warrant issued against #sanjayRaut today by 25th Magistrate court, Sewree, in defamation compliant filed by Mrs. Medha @KiritSomaiya against @rautsanjay61
— Adv.Vivekanand Gupta 🇮🇳 (@vivekanandg) January 6, 2023
Next hearing 24th Jan 2023@BJP4Maharashtra @BJP4Mumbai#Defamation #court pic.twitter.com/XdZmZ6cNVw
Somaiya had filed a court petition, alleging that Raut’s allegations that she and her husband were complicit in a Rs 100 crore scam involving the building and upkeep of public restrooms in the Mira Bhayander neighbourhood outside of Mumbai were unfounded and defamatory.
Sewree Court issued Non Bailable Warrant against #SanjayRaut for not attending the court
— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) January 6, 2023
Court recorded Complainant Medha Somaiya statement for an hour, in Dr Medha Kirit Somaiya defamation case against Sanjay Raut
Next hearing 24 Jan@BJP4India @Dev_Fadnavis @mieknathshinde
The Delhi High Court’s decision to issue summons to the Shiv Sena leaders has created ripples in Maharashtra’s political circles, given the high profile of the parties involved. The case is likely to generate significant public interest as it unfolds in the coming months.
