Sanjay Raut defamation complaint: Court quashes NBW against Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane

A court in Mumbai on Monday quashed the non-bailable warrant 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.

Judicial Magistrate First Class (Mazgaon Court) A. A. 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).

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.


Multiple warrants had been issued in the past against the fisheries and ports development minister for failing to appear before the court.

In May 2023, Rane, son of former Union Minister and BJP MP Narayan Rane, had allegedly called Raut a "snake" who would ditch Uddhav Thackeray and join the (undivided) NCP by June that year.

Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, filed a complaint before the magistrate's court seeking action against Nitesh Rane over his alleged "defamatory and blatantly false" remarks.