Court relief to Narayan Rane for slap remark against Uddhav

A magistrate court in Raigad district discharged union minister and senior BJP leader Narayan Rane in a case related to his controversial remark against the then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Rane was discharged from the case by chief judicial magistrate (Raigad-Alibaug) SW Ugale on Saturday on the grounds that the statement was unparliamentary but does not promote enmity

Mumbai: A magistrate court in Raigad district discharged union minister and senior BJP leader Narayan Rane in a case related to his controversial remark against the then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

New Delhi, India- July 25, 2019: Member of Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra Narayan Rane arrives to attend the Budget session, at Parliament, in New Delhi, India on Thursday, July 25, 2019. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/ Hindustan Times) (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

Rane was discharged from the case by chief judicial magistrate (Raigad-Alibaug) SW Ugale on Saturday on the grounds that the statement was unparliamentary but does not promote enmity.

Senior advocate Satish Maneshinde, who was representing Rane, confirmed the development.

In a speech in August 2021, Rane, who holds the micro, small and medium enterprises portfolio, had claimed that Thackeray had forgotten the year of Independence during his August 15 speech.

“It is shameful that the chief minister (Thackeray) does not know the year of independence. He leaned back to enquire [with his chief secretary] about the count of years of independence during his speech. Had I been there, I would have given him a slap,” Rane had said.

The comments sparked outrage and the subsequent arrest of Rane set off a political face-off between MVA coalition and BJP.

Rane was booked at Mahad in Raigad district under sections 189 (threat of injury to public servant), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of public peace) and 505 (statements conducive to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.

During the hearing, Maneshinde had submitted that “Rane allegedly made a statement on the [then] chief minister’s conduct. He didn’t make any statement which was promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever.”

He said the case was politically motivated and hence, bad in law.