Actor Ketaki Chitale will not be arrested in 21 FIRs, state tells HC

The advocates further submitted that Chitale was released on bail in an FIR registered at Kalwa Police station by Thane court last week

Mumbai The Maharashtra government on Monday informed the Bombay high court (HC) that Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale will not be arrested in 21 out of 22 FIRs registered against her for a social media post referring to the physical limitations of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar. Currently out on bail, she was arrested in one of the cases registered at Kalwa police station.

Chief public prosecutor Aruna Pai, on instructions from the investigation officer, made a statement that Chitale would not be arrested in the remaining FIRs till the next date of hearing which was accepted by the bench (Praful Gangurde)

The division bench of justice Nitin Jamdar and justice N R Borkar, which was hearing the petition filed by Chitale through advocates Harekrishna Mishra, Yogesh Deshpande and Vasant Bansode, was informed that in all, 22 FIRs had been registered against Chitale for the alleged same offence and hence as per the Supreme Court ruling, only the first FIR should be considered and the remaining FIRs should be included in the same.

The advocates further submitted that Chitale was released on bail in an FIR registered at Kalwa Police station by Thane court last week.

Chief public prosecutor Aruna Pai, on instructions from the investigation officer, made a statement that Chitale would not be arrested in the remaining FIRs till the next date of hearing which was accepted by the bench.

Chitale’s advocates had submitted that the enthusiasm shown by police in registering FIRs proved that she was being targeted with an intention of striking fear in the minds of people by making an example out of her. Chitale had also sought declaration of her arrest as illegal and a compensation for being detained without a valid reason.

Chitale was booked for posting a poem on her Facebook profile which did not mention the NCP chief by name but had a surname and an age. However, it was perceived to be directed towards Pawar, prompting NCP party workers to lodge complaints against her. She was arrested on May 13 alongwith Nitin Bhamre, a student from Nashik, who was also booked for an offence similar to that of Chitale.

HC is likely to hear Chitale and Bhamre’s pleas together on July 12.