Minister Drops Defamation Case After Raut’s Regret
The defamation complaint stemmed from Mr. Raut’s allegations of corruption to the tune of Rs 178 crore at Girna Co-operative Sugar Factory in Malegaon.
Mumbai: Maharashtra minister Dada Bhuse on Saturday withdrew his defamation suit against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut following a formal apology in court. The legal dispute began in 2023 after Raut accused Bhuse of a Rs 178 crore corruption scandal involving a Malegaon sugar factory. Admitting the allegations were based on incorrect information, Mr. Raut expressed regret for the confusion caused. Consequently, Mr. Bhuse opted to drop the case.
The two leaders appeared before the court to resolve the matter amicably and were seen chatting cordially as they left the premises.
The defamation complaint stemmed from Mr. Raut’s allegations of corruption to the tune of Rs 178 crore at Girna Co-operative Sugar Factory in Malegaon.
Explaining his earlier remarks, Mr. Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, said he had relied on information provided by Advay Hiray, who was then associated with the Shiv Sena (UBT). “I had supported him as a party colleague. Now he himself has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, so he should take the matter forward,” Mr. Raut said.
Mr. Raut’s specific 2023 allegation against Mr. Bhuse was that the Shiv Sena leader had collected Rs 178 crore from approximately 7,000 local farmers as shares for the Girna Cooperative Sugar Factory. Mr. Raut had claimed this money was misappropriated.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader further stated that he had apologised in court not only to Mr. Bhuse but also to farmers and citizens of Malegaon. “I received incorrect information and made statements on that basis. I regret the confusion caused,” he said.
Commenting on his relationship with Mr. Bhuse, a close associate of Eknath Shinde, Mr. Raut said the cordial outcome reflected Maharashtra’s political culture. “Dada Bhuse and I share good relations. This is Maharashtra’s culture,” he said.
Mr. Bhuse, who currently holds the school education portfolio, said that Mr. Raut had realised that the allegations were unfounded and had acknowledged this before the court. “He expressed regret for the false allegations, and with that the matter has concluded,” the minister said.
