Kalyan court acquits Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde in 17-year defamation case

The court held that records, testimony and statements did not support the charges. It noted gaps in the investigation and in sequence of events, as per the proceedings and advocates.

Kalyan, September 23, 2026: A 17-year-old defamation case stemming from a controversial CD shown during the 2009 Lok Sabha election campaign finally reached its conclusion on Wednesday with a Kalyan court acquitting former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and two other accused.The case was filed by late NCP leader Vasant Davkhare, who was the party's candidate from the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency in the 2009 election. He had alleged that a video shown during an election meeting was used to damage his reputation ahead of the polls.Thackeray, who was then Shiv Sena's working president, Shinde, who was associated with the party, Shiv Sena candidate Anand Paranjpe and meeting organiser Ramakant Deolekar were named as accused in the case. The proceedings continued for nearly 17 years.Trial And Court VerdictDuring the trial, more than 20 witnesses were examined. The statements of Thackeray and Shinde were also recorded through videoconferencing under Section 313 of the Criminal Procedure Code, giving them an opportunity to respond to the evidence presented against them.The court examined the evidence and testimonies before delivering its verdict on Wednesday. All four accused were acquitted in the case.Controversial 2009 Election VideoThe controversy dates back to the bitterly contested 2009 Kalyan Lok Sabha election between Davkhare of the NCP and Paranjpe of the undivided Shiv Sena. According to the prosecution's case, a video concerning Davkhare was screened at an election meeting. Davkhare had alleged that the video was doctored and that it was intended to malign him during the campaign. The Shiv Sena had disputed the allegation and maintained that the video was authentic.Also Watch: Uddhav Thackeray's Sena UBT Moves Supreme Court Following Approval Of 6 Rebel MPs Into Eknath Shinde's FoldReactions To AcquittalDavkhare died in 2018, but the criminal proceedings continued.Reacting to the verdict, advocate Jayesh Vani, who represented Thackeray, said the evidence before the court did not provide a sufficient basis to hold the accused guilty. Shiv Sena leader and former MP Anand Paranjpe also said that the evidence and witness statements recorded during the trial did not establish the allegations against the accused.To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/