Minister Sanjay Shirsat files criminal defamation case against former MP Imtiaz Jaleel

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat has filed a criminal defamation case in court against AIMIM’s State President Imtiaz Jaleel, alleging that the latter has tarnished his public image by accusing him of misusing his position to acquire land reserved for truck terminals in the MIDC area in the names of his wife and son. Jaleel had made these allegations during a press conference. The hearing for this case is scheduled for June 24, said the Shirsat’s lawyer, Adv. Rajesh Kale.

The petition stated that he is the Minister for Social Justice in the state as well as the Guardian Minister of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. He has been elected as an MLA for the fourth time. On June 5, former MP Syed Imtiaz Jaleel, in a press conference, alleged that Shirsat misused his power to acquire a plot in the Shendra MIDC area in his son's name for a liquor factory by altering the original land reservation. However, Shirsat clarified that he had no involvement or correspondence in the said land transaction and did not even make any phone calls to the concerned officials. He stated that these allegations have harmed his public reputation.

Through Adv. Rajesh Ratanlal Kale, Shirsat has filed a criminal defamation case against Imtiaz Jaleel under Sections 356 (1), (2), and (3) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 500 of the old Defamation Law, in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate No. 3. The case was scheduled for hearing on June 19, but due to the regular judge being on leave, the next hearing has been set for June 24.

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Punishable up to 2 years

If the former MP is found guilty under the sections applied in the case filed by the minister, he could face imprisonment of up to two years. Notably, Shirsat has not demanded any monetary compensation in this case.