The Bombay High Court on Wednesday stayed the execution of the Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) issued against Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Nitesh Rane in a defamation complaint by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut.
On January 30, a special court issued NBW against Rane directing him to appear before the court on February 21. The NBW was issued after Rane failed to appear before the magistrate court on February 26. The HC has kept his plea for a hearing on February 27. Justice Laddha was hearing a plea filed by Rane challenging the NBW.
Rane, in May last year, made defamatory remarks against Raut and said that he would abandon Uddhav Thackeray and join the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) by June 10, 2023. June 10 last year was the 25th Foundation Day of the NCP. Both the parties, Shiv Sena and NCP, had dismissed the claims.
Raut then filed a defamation complaint against Rane and summons were issued to him. However, Rane failed to appear and NBW was issued. The court proceedings will progress only after Rane appears before the court and puts forth his say on whether the charges against him are true or false.
Rane has also filed a criminal revision plea before the Mumbai Sessions Court challenging the issuance of the summons to him by the magistrate court.
Rane’s advocate Milan Desai argued that Rane was not appearing before the magistrate expressing fear that if the legislator appeared then his pleadings would be recorded which would make his criminal revision application before the Sessions court infructuous
Rane had approached the Mumbai Sessions court after the magistrate court had issued a summons to him. The matter is listed before the sessions court on March 7.
