Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narayan Rane on Tuesday moved the Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory bail and quashing of three FIRs filed against him over his statements that he would have “tightly slapped” chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who he claimed was ignorant of the country’s independence year.
Nashik Police Commissioner Deepak Pandey had earlier said a team had been formed to arrest the Rajya Sabha MP and produce him before a court and all due procedure was being followed.
The Rajya Sabha MP and former chief minister has defended his stand on the issue and said he had not committed any offence.
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The high court refused to give an urgent hearing to the anticipatory bail application, filed by advocate Aniket Nikam on Rane’s behalf. A bench of justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar directed Nikam to follow due procedure before approaching the court. The court was also yet to hear the petition seeking the quashing of FIRs registered at Nashik, Pune and Mahad police stations.
The controversy over Rane’s comments against Thackeray made on Monday at a Jan Ashirvad event for newly inducted Union ministers intensified during the day as workers of the Shiv Sena and the BJP clashed at several places in the state and police issued arrest warrants against the Union minister.
{{/usCountry}}The controversy over Rane’s comments against Thackeray made on Monday at a Jan Ashirvad event for newly inducted Union ministers intensified during the day as workers of the Shiv Sena and the BJP clashed at several places in the state and police issued arrest warrants against the Union minister.
{{/usCountry}}Rane also complained of uneasiness and a team of doctors was summoned to treat him, said BJP leader Pramod Jathar, adding his sugar level and blood pressure have shot up.
Jathar further said the superintendent of Ratnagiri was under immense pressure to arrest the Union minister. “The Ratnagiri SP has reached Sangameshwar to arrest Rane without any arrest warrant. The SP says he is under tremendous pressure for the arrest and he has been asked to arrest Rane in five mins.”
“We have moved the HC for anticipatory bail and police should follow the protocol,” he added.
Former chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said that while he did not support Rane's comments, he would stand by him as an individual and a representative of the party. “Sharijil Usmani abused Bharat Mata but no FIR was registered against him but you (state govt) filed FIR against Rane,” he said.
(With inputs from Mumbai bureau)