The Malegaon District Court. (Pic: The Voice of Malegaon)
After he failed to appear on earlier two occasions, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut was today present in the court in a criminal defamation case filed against him by the Shiv Sena leader Dada Bhuse, Nashik Guardian Minister and Minister for Public Works Department (Public Undertaking), Maharashtra.
Following pointers explain what exactly transpired and who said what in the court today.
The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Tejwant Singh Sandhu firstly read out loudly to Raut the charges levelled against him in the criminal defamation complaint. After reading out those charges, Judge Sandhu asked him whether he was accepting them? To this Raut firmly replied in negative. And also told the court that he was ready to face the trial proceedings.
‘Set an example before the public’
Judge Sandhu also asked Raut and the lawyer for the complainant Adv Sudhir Akkar whether they were ready for a compromise and do a settlement at the upcoming Rashtriya Lok Adalat to be held on December 09? To this as well Raut firmly replied in negative and said, “I have not brought up this case (before the honourable court).”
Judge Sandhu remarked that as both were prominent Lok Pratinidhis and both had ‘Lok’ in their titles it was in the interest of the ‘Rashtra’ if they agreed for a compromise at the Rashtriya Lok Adalat. “At the end of the day it will set an ideal example before the public at large,” Judge Sandhu remarked.
If the accused extended an apology…
Senior Adv Sudhir Akkar in response to Judge Sandhu’s suggestion for a compromise at the Rashtriya Lok Adalat told the court that if the accused was ready to extend an apology then they had no issues in taking the matter up at the upcoming settlement forum.
Raut invokes Winter Session of Parliament
After granting bail to Raut for Rs 50,000 with a surety, Judge Sandhu was figuring out what next date to be given that would be convenient for both the parties. The Judge also cited Ashwini Upadhyaya vs the Union of India case law and said there were clear guidelines from the honourble Supreme Court to put cases in which Members of Parliament and State Legislatures were key players on speedy trials.
“The Winter Session of the Parliament was starting from December 04 and it will last till December 27,” Raut told the court. He wanted to convey that for him it will not be possible to be present in the court on any near given date. Judge Sandhu factored in his reasoning and then gave February 03, 2024 as the next date of hearing.
Accused is innocent…
Senior Adv M Y Kale representing Raut prayed before the court in the bail application that the accused be granted bail as he was innocent and the charges against him were concocted and false.
A brief about the case
In June this year, the Mumbai-based Marathi daily Saamana, whose Executive Editor is Raut, published an article alleging that Bhuse and his son Ajinkya collected Rs 178 crore by allotting shares from farmers in the name of ‘Girna Cooperative Sugar Factory Bachao’ initiative. This article, Bhuse claims in the criminal defamation complaint, caused an irreversible injury and imputation to his reputation of being a well-known and well-respected people’s representative.
At the last hearing in early November, the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Tejwant Singh Sandhu for Raut’s non-appearance in court issued a bailable warrant for Rs 50,000 and directed him to remain present in the court on December 02, which was today. At that time, Raut cited as reason for non-appearance the large scale agitation in favour of the Maratha reservation and the tense atmosphere in its aftermath prevalent across the state.
