Case filed against Uddhav, Gadkari

A complaint has been registered against Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray and BJP state president Nitin Gadkari for their alleged derogatory statements against the prime minister during a rally, police said on Friday.

The police on Friday registered a complaint against Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nitin Gadkari for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during an election rally last week.

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“A first information report has been registered against Thackeray and Gadkari for the statements they made in their speeches on March 20 at Swan Mill Compound in central Mumbai at Kalachowkie police station,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjay Baviskar told Hindustan Times.

The police said the speeches were in violation of the election model code of conduct as they had allegedly made derogatory statements against the Prime Minister. A case has been filed against the two leaders under Sections 188, 504 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, all bailable offences.

The complaint was filed after Collector I.A. Kundan, who had examined the recordings of the speeches, submitted her report to the police last week to decide if action should be taken. Assistant Returning Officer P.S. Jaitu from Mumbai South constituency has been shown as the complainant.

The police had also taken legal opinion prior to registering the offence against the two leaders.

Shiv Sena spokesperson and MLC Neelam Gorhe said: “We will comment only after the party officially receives the complaint copy.”

Gadkari refused to comment.

(With inputs from Rachana Pratihar)