Mumbai court issues bailable warrant against Nitesh Rane in defamation case

On Tuesday, a local court issued a bailable warrant against BJP MLA Nitesh Rane in connection with a defamation complaint filed against him by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut. The Mazgaon Metropolitan Magistrate Court issued the bailable warrant of Rs 15,000 as Rane failed to appear before it on Tuesday.

Last month, the court had issued a process (summons) to Rane, instructing him to appear before it. However, on Tuesday, the court observed Rane's absence, with no legal representation on his behalf. In response, Sanjay Raut's lawyer filed an application requesting the issuance of a warrant against the BJP MLA.

The court accepted the application and posted the matter for further hearing on December 15. Rane would have to appear before the court on that date and get the warrant cancelled. In May this year, Rane, son of Union minister Narayan Rane, had allegedly called Raut a snake who would ditch Uddhav Thackeray and join the NCP by June 10, 2023.

Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, filed a complaint before the magistrate’s court seeking action against Rane for the alleged defamatory and blatantly false remarks.