Mumbai A day after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut claimed that he had received a threat to life from Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son, he was booked by Thane police under relevant sections for defamation, media reports said.
Thane’s Kapurbawdi police registered a case against the Rajya Sabha MP based on a complaint by former Mayor of Thane, Meenkashi Shinde. She lodged a complaint saying that allegations Raut levelled against MP Shrikant Shinde were falsified.
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Wed 18 Dec. 2024
According to the reports, Raut has been charged under sections in the Indian Penal Code corresponding to defamation, false charges, promoting enmity, insulting for breach of peace and statements for public mischief.
Meenakshi was quoted in a Times of India report saying that she believes Raut is mentally disturbed which is prompting him to make defamatory comments. Raut, who claimed Shrikant Shinde had hired a goon from Thane called Raja Thakur, faces another defamation charge.
Pooja Thakur, the alleged goon’s wife, filed a complaint with the Kapurbavdi police saying that Raut has made false claims about her husband being a goon. She told the media that Raut had no right to speak about her husband in a derogatory manner.
On February 21, Sanjay Raut wrote letters to Deputy CM and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Thane Police Commissioner saying that he has received death threats from Shinde group. He also alleged that Shrikant had hired Thane-based mafia don Raja Thakur to kill him.
The police had visited Raut’s residence and recorded statements. Meanwhile he reportedly was given increased security after Fadnavis took cognisance of his complaint. CM Shinde has also assured of a fair probe in the incident.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis said the Rajya Sabha MP was trying to seek sympathy and has been making “mindless allegations”. “I think he is creating a sensation by levelling such allegations. He may think that he would get some sympathy out of it. But you do not get sympathy by making fake allegations,” he said.
Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aaditya Thackeray, a former State Minister, had said Raut’s complaint should be taken seriously. “Unfortunately, these traitor MLAs (from Shinde camp) are not being controlled at all. One MLA had opened fire in the Mahim area of Mumbai, but no action was taken,” he said.
The rival Shiv Sena factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde are locked in legal battles over the control of the Shiv Sena. The Election Commission has allotted the party name and ‘bow and arrow’ symbol to Shinde’s camp.
Thackeray has challenged the EC order in the Supreme Court, which said it cannot put a freeze on the order “at this stage.” The matter will be heard again after two weeks.
