Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP Narayan Rane on Monday pleaded not guilty before a Mumbai court in a defamation case filed by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut over his remarks made in 2023.

As reported by news agency PTI, following the recording of Rane`s not guilty plea, the trial in the case will begin with the examination of witnesses from 11 November before a magistrate`s court.

Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut had filed a complaint against the former Union Minister for allegedly making "defamatory, malicious and false" remarks about him at the Konkan Festival. The Konkan Festival was organised in suburban Bhandup on 15 January 2023.