**High Court Directs Mumbai Magistrate to Hear Defamation Case Against Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut**
The Bombay High Court has instructed a Magistrate court in Mumbai to postpone the hearing of former MP Rahul Shewale’s defamation complaint against Shiv Sena UBT leader Uddhav Thackeray and former MP Sanjay Raut until after September 24. The directive came during a session presided over by Justice SM Modak, who was addressing a plea from Shewale, represented by advocate Chitra Salunke. Shewale sought to overturn a July 19 ruling from the Magistrate court that denied his request for the identity of a reporter from the Saamna newspaper, who authored an article he claims is defamatory.
The Magistrate court had dismissed Shewale’s application, arguing that revealing the reporter’s identity could lead to self-incrimination for the accused. The controversy stems from a December 29, 2022, article in Saamna, which alleged that Shewale had business interests in Pakistan. Shewale has vehemently denied these claims, labeling the report as unfounded and an attempt to tarnish his reputation and political career. He characterized the article as a “concocted story” and a prime example of “vendetta journalism.”
The article appeared in both Hindi and Marathi editions of the newspaper but did not credit any specific reporter. When the court issued summons to the reporters via the local police, a Saamna representative, Datta Hargude, received the notice. Salunke’s plea also requested that Hargude be summoned to disclose the names of the reporters involved. However, the Magistrate court rejected this request, noting that Hargude was not included in Shewale’s initial witness list.
The High Court has indicated that it will review this matter and has granted interim relief to Shewale by staying the trial until the next hearing date on September 24.
**FAQ**
*What is the basis of Rahul Shewale’s defamation complaint?*
Rahul Shewale’s defamation complaint is based on an article published in Saamna that alleged he had business interests in Pakistan, which he claims is false and damaging to his reputation.
