A Mumbai court has sentenced Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut to 15 days of simple imprisonment in a defamation case filed by Medha Somaiya, the wife of former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya.

Medha Somaiya, a professor at Mumbai’s Ruia College, accused Raut of making defamatory allegations that she and her NGO, Yuva Pratishthan, were involved in a Rs 100 crore toilet scam. The court convicted Raut under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to defamation, and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000.

In her complaint, Medha Somaiya stated that Raut had made "malicious and unwarranted" statements against her and her husband in the media since April 2022, which were widely shared on electronic, print, and social media. The case was filed through advocate Vivekanand Gupta.

Raut’s lawyer, Sunil Raut, said they have appealed the decision in the Mumbai Sessions Court, and Magistrate Aarti Kulkarni has suspended the sentence for 30 days, allowing Raut to furnish a bond of Rs 15,000.

Outside the court, Sanjay Raut defended his statements, claiming he based his allegations on documents and stating that he was being targeted for political reasons. However, he affirmed his faith in the judiciary and announced plans to challenge the verdict.