BJP MP Rane pleads not guilty before court in defamation case filed by Raut; to face trial

Mumbai, Aug 25 (PTI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP Narayan Rane on Monday pleaded not guilty before a Mumbai court in a defamation case filed by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut over his remarks made in 2023.

Following the recording of Rane's not guilty plea, the trial in the case will begin with the examination of witnesses from November 11 before a magistrate's court.

Raut had filed a complaint against the former Union minister for allegedly making "defamatory, malicious and false" remarks about him at the Konkan Festival organised in suburban Bhandup on January 15, 2023.

The BJP leader had allegedly said Raut's name did not exist in the voters' list and that he (Rane) had helped the latter get elected to the Rajya Sabha when he was in the undivided Shiv Sena.

Raut had sought action against Rane under IPC sections 499 and 500 (defamation).

On Monday, the senior BJP leader appeared before judicial magistrate (Mazgaon court) AA Kulkarni with his lawyer, and pleaded not guilty to the allegations against him.

Earlier in April, taking cognizance of the complaint, the Magistrate's court had issued process (summons) to the BJP MP from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg in coastal Maharashtra.

Rane had challenged the summons before a special MP/MLA court, saying no defamation case was made out against him.

He stated the magistrate issued the summons without "assigning any reasons or applying judicial mind".

The special court had, however, rejected Rane's plea, ruling he made "vague and unsubstantiated" statements against the Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP, "indicating malice.

The special court had found that, prima facie, Rane's statements were false and publicly made, thereby satisfying the elements of imputation and publication under defamation law. PTI AVI RSY