17-07-2025
‘Direct attack on credibility': Mumbai court on BJP leader Narayan Rane's statements about Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut
In a detailed order, a Special Court in Mumbai has rejected BJP leader Narayan Rane's revision appeal challenging the summons to him in a defamation case filed by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, and said the statements made cannot be part of a political discourse or dissenting views.
The court passed the order on Wednesday, and the detailed order was made available on Thursday.
Raut had filed a defamation suit against Rane after the latter allegedly claimed at the Konkan Festival in Mumbai's Bhandup in 2023 that Raut's name was not on the voters' list in 2004, when the Sena leader was elected as a Member of Rajya Sabha.
Special Judge S R Navander said, '…the statement that the complainant (Raut) had committed fraud and would have to go to jail is vague, unsubstantiated, and cannot be said to have been made in good faith or with due care and attention. The statements were made without supporting material, thereby indicating malice and an intent to tarnish the complainant's reputation.'
Rane had also claimed that it was at his behest that Raut got nominated, and he had extended help, including spending money, for the Sena leader to get elected. In April 2025, a magistrate court said that there was a prima facie case of defamation and issued a summons to Rane.
Rane had sought that the order be set aside, stating that the comments resulted from political discourse and differing views, as they are long-standing political rivals. He also said that no proof was given on how it had caused any damage to Raut's reputation.
Appearing for Raut, lawyer Sarthak Shetty had submitted that the statements made about the Sena (UBT) leader's name not being included in the voters' list were false, and produced the list from 2004.
While Rane had cited orders of the Supreme Court which had quashed multiple complaints made over opinion-based statements, the special court said Rane's remarks directly attacked Raut's 'honesty and credibility' in public life.
