BJP leader Kirit Somaiya's wife Medha Somaiya filed a criminal defamation complaint against Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in a court in Mumbai on May 18 following his allegations of the Somaiya's being involved in a “₹100 crore toilet scam.” In her complaint filed before the Sewri metropolitan magistrate's court, Ms. Somaiya said the allegations made by Mr. Raut last month were baseless and completely defamatory in nature.
The former BJP MP's wife said she was shocked to see news reports on April 15 and 16, of Mr. Raut accusing her and her husband of being involved in a scam worth ₹100 crore over the construction and maintenance of some public toilets under the Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation's jurisdiction.
“The statements made by the accused to the media are per se defamatory. The statements have been made to malign my character in the eyes of the general public,” she said in the complaint.
Ms. Somaiya urged the court to issue a process or a notice to Mr. Raut and begin proceedings against him on the charges of defamation, as defined under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code.