Kalyan: A Kalyan court on Wednesday acquitted Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, former MP Anand Paranjape and local Shiv Sena neta Ramakant Deolikar in a defamation case dating back to the 2009 Lok Sabha election campaign, reports Pradeep Gupta.The case, which remained pending for nearly 17 years, related to the screening of a controversial video CD at a Shiv Sena election rally in Kolsewadi area of Kalyan East. The CD allegedly contained material relating to the then NCP candidate and former Legislative Council deputy chairperson, the late Vasant Davkhare.Davkhare had approached Kolsewadi police alleging that the screening of the CD had defamed him politically and socially. Thackeray, Shinde, Paranjape and Deolikar were subsequently named as accused in the case.During the prolonged trial, statements of 29 witnesses were recorded before the court. After hearing arguments from both sides and examining the evidence, JMFC Santosh Aage acquitted all four accused of the charges.Advocate Jayesh Vani, who represented Thackeray, said the defence had argued that the case was politically motivated and that the witnesses produced by the complainant had failed to substantiate the allegations. He said the court, after examining the evidence and hearing both sides, had acquitted all the accused.Paranjape, who was also an accused in the case, welcomed the verdict and said the allegations had no substance from the beginning. He said the case was filed after the 2009 Lok Sabha election and that the accused had fought the legal battle for nearly 17 years.While expressing satisfaction over the verdict, Paranjape also said his respect for Davkhare remained unchanged, describing him as a respected political figure.
