India, Sept. 23 -- A court in Kalyan on Wednesday acquitted Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and former MP Anand Paranjpe in a criminal defamation case stemming from a campaign rally during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

The court also acquitted former corporator Rajendra Deolekar, who has since died.

Judge Santosh Age of the Kalyan District Court acquitted all the accused, citing insufficient evidence and significant inconsistencies and gaps in the investigation.

The complaint was filed by late Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Vasant Davkhare after the 2009 election in which Paranjpe was pitted against him.

During a campaign rally organised by Deolekar in Kalyan, Shiv Sena ...