Kalyan, 23 Sept

(HS): Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde have been acquitted in late Vasant

Daokhare defamation case by The Kalyan Sessions Court. The verdict came after

17 years of initiation of the case.

The case was

filed in 2009. The court recorded statements of Thackeray and Shinde and 20

witnesses.

The case

pertains to 2009 Lok Sabha election campaign, when Daokhare (NCP Undivided) was

contesting against Shiv Sena (Undivided) candidate Anand Paranjape. A CD of a

public meeting to campaign for Paranjape was submitted as evidence, in which ‘beat

him (Daokhare), but elect Paranjape in any manner’ was recorded. A complaint

was lodged with Kolsewadi Police Station against the Shiv Sena District Unit

Chief Eknath Shinde and meeting organiser Ramakant Deolekar.

The CD was

referred to Forensic Laboratory for testing. The case was in progress at the

Kalyan Sessions Court. The final verdict was delivered acquitting all the

accused in the case.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar