Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut have requested an extra two days to pay a Rs 2,000 fine imposed for a defamation case filed by Rahul Shewale of the rival Shiv Sena faction. The complaint, related to defamatory statements in Saamna, led to a Magistrate court summons and denial of discharge from the case.
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MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut have approached a special court with an application seeking an additional two days to pay a fine of Rs 2,000. This fine was imposed on them last month as a result of a defamation complaint.
The defamation case was initiated by Rahul Shewale, a leader of the Shiv Sena faction aligned with Eknath Shinde. Shewale filed the complaint against Thackeray and Raut for defamatory statements made in the party’s mouthpiece, Saamna. Following this, a Magistrate court issued a process against them and summoned them, refusing to discharge them from the case.
Thackeray and Raut subsequently filed a revision petition with the Mumbai Sessions Court, which was delayed by 84 days beyond the stipulated time limit. Although the Sessions Court condoned the delay, it imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on June 13, requiring the amount to be paid within two days.
Thackeray and Raut claimed they received the order on June 14, and found the court’s cash counter closed for the following two days.
They state-
“We made every effort over the following days, but we were unable to complete the formalities in time.”
leading to the officials at the cash counter refusing to accept the payment after the 10-day period had lapsed.
Advocate Chitra Salunkhe, representing Shewale, opposed the extension request, arguing that the failure to deposit the money was due to “their lackadaisical approach.” Salunkhe further alleged that Thackeray and Raut’s application was merely a tactic to delay the proceedings.
The special court is set to continue hearing arguments on this matter on July 31.
The origin of this legal battle lies in an article published in Saamna, which led Shewale to file the defamation complaint. Proceedings for this complaint are currently ongoing at the Mazgaon Magistrate Court. The Magistrate Court, on October 26, 2023, refused to discharge Thackeray and Raut from the case, which led to their subsequent appeal and the complications surrounding the fine payment.
The Defamation Complaint: A Detailed Overview
In October 2023, the Magistrate Court denied the discharge plea of Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut, propelling them to seek recourse through a revision petition at the Sessions Court. The delay in filing this petition resulted in an 84-day lapse beyond the allowed time, which the Sessions Court acknowledged but penalized with a Rs 2,000 fine.
Thackeray and Raut, in their defense, mentioned logistical challenges in adhering to the payment deadline. They explained that the order was received on June 14, leaving them with insufficient time as the court’s cash counter was closed for two consecutive days. Despite their efforts to expedite the process, they could not complete the required formalities within the stipulated timeframe.
“After the 10-day period, the officials at the cash counter refused to accept the payment.”
-they added.
Advocate Chitra Salunkhe, opposing their request for an extension, maintained that the delay was a result of their own negligence and not due to any external factors.
“This was merely a delaying tactic by Thackeray and Raut.”
-she asserted, emphasizing the need for the court to recognize the intentional postponement.