Mumbai: A Metropolitan Magistrate on Monday quashed the non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Maharashtra minister and BJP MLA Nitesh Rane in connection with a defamation complaint lodged against him in 2023 by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut.
NBW Quashed with Condition
Judicial Magistrate First Class (Mazgaon Court) AA Kulkarni quashed and set aside the warrant on the condition that Rane will appear before the court on Tuesday to record his plea (formal response to the complaint).
Rane Missed Earlier Hearings
The court, in June, rejected Rane's plea for permanent exemption from personal appearance and issued an NBW for his failure to appear before the court for hearings. This was not the first instance where the court had issued a warrant against Rane to secure his presence in the case.
Complaint Over 'Snake' Remark
In May 2023, Nitish had allegedly called Raut a 'snake' who would ditch Uddhav Thackeray and join the NCP by June 10, 2023. Offended by such a statement, Raut had moved a complaint before the magistrate's court seeking action against Rane for the alleged 'defamatory and blatantly false' remarks.
