October 26th 2023.
Mumbai's Metropolitan Magistrate in Mazgaon has rejected the discharge application of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and MP Sanjay Raut in an ongoing defamation case filed against them by rival faction leader Rahul Shewale.
The defamation case was filed by Shewale against Thackeray and Raut after an article was published in the Shivsena's mouthpiece, Samna, on December 29, 2022. The article made allegations against Shewale which he refuted, calling the piece a "classic example of vendetta journalism".
Thackeray and Raut filed a discharge plea claiming they were innocent and falsely implicated in the case. They argued that the responsibility lies with the editor and that they had no control over the selection of matters to be published in the newspaper. However, the court rejected their claim and has now scheduled the case for recording of evidence.
The defamation case is the latest in a long list of political battles between Thackeray and Shewale. Just this week, Mumbai BJP Chief Ashish Shelar hit back at Thackeray over his Dasara Melava speech, which Shelar called “shallow” and “hollow”.
The legal battle between Thackeray and Shewale is set to continue as the court reviews the evidence and makes its decision. The detailed order will be available later, the court said.
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