Union Minister and BJP leader Narayan Rane, who was arrested over a statement against Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray was granted bail at midnight by a Raigad Magistrate Court. The Court directed the Minister to furnish a bail bond of Rs 15,000 after which he was released.
Court has directed Rane to furnish bail bond of Rs. 15,000 with surety of like amount.
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) August 24, 2021
Rane has now reached Mumbai and his lawyer Aniket Nikam while speaking with CNN News18 hinted at a further legal recourse with respect to multiple FIRs filed against him.
Narayan Rane’s criticism of Uddhav Thackeray
Union Minister Narayan Rane while speaking at the ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’ in Raigad district of Maharashtra, had condemned the Maharashtra CM for his sheer ignorance.
“It is shameful that the chief minister does not know the year of independence. He leaned back to enquire about the count of years of independence during his speech. Had I been there, I would have given him a tight slap,” Rane had remarked, triggering multiple FIRs, and arrest orders against him by the Shiv Sena-led MVA government.
Shiv Sena gets violent
Almost instantly, the Shiv Sena launched multiple attacks on the BJP leader. Several FIRs were filed against Rane demanding immediate arrest of the Minister.
To protest against the ‘slap remark’, Shiv Sena goons pelted stones and bricks at BJP’s Nashik office.
#WATCH | Maharashtra: A group of Shiv Sena workers pelt stones at BJP party office in Nashik & raise slogans against Union Minister Narayan Rane.
— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2021
The Union Minister and BJP leader had given a statement against CM Uddhav Thackeray yesterday. pic.twitter.com/Y3A3cWZbTa
A BJP corporator in Ulhasnagar was thrashed brutally and his had face blackened by the Sena goons to avenge Rane’s statement against their leader.
What on earth? BJP corporator beaten by Shiv Sena workers in Ulhasnagar. Allegedly, because they were angry over Narayan Rane comment. Members of ruling party running amok? pic.twitter.com/ZPv6lW4BBV
— Padmaja joshi (@PadmajaJoshi) August 24, 2021
A huge crowd amassed outside Rane’s home in Juhu to protest against him shortly after CM Uddhav Thackeray cancelled Hindu festival celebrations claiming ‘saving lives is a priority amidst the pandemic.’
Bombay High Court rejects plea
The Minister had approached the Bombay High Court to seek interim relief from arrest and other or any coercive action. However, a Bench comprising Justices SS Shinde and N J Jamadar refused to hear his petition asking the advocate to follow due ‘procedure.’
Narayan Rane arrested
Rane who was addressing a yatra under BJP’s Jan Ashirwad campaign in Ratnagiri’s Chiplun was arrested by Ratnagiri police while he was having food. Visuals of Rane being surrounded by police force and detained while eating resulted in a huge uproar.
As per reports, Rane was handed over to Nashik police by Ratnagiri police later.
Union Minister Narayan Rane has been sent to judicial custody (in connection with his alleged statement against Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray): BJP MLC Prasad Lad pic.twitter.com/asDqtG4aen
— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2021
BJP leader Prasad Lad also revealed that the Minister was ‘manhandled’ by police. “Rane was arrested while he was having lunch. The arrest is illegal. We are afraid that he may be harassed by the police if kept inside the police station overnight. He was manhandled by police while he was having his lunch. The cops did not even allow doctors to complete his check up,” informed Lad.
Another BJP leader Pramod Jathar alleged that the Ratnagiri police was under ‘immense pressure’ to arrest the BJP leader.
State Minister seen giving instructions for Rane’s arrest
In a shocking revelation, BJP spokesperson Suresh Nakhua shared visuals where State Transport Minister Anil Parab was caught giving instructions to arrest Rane.
The visual captured by TV9 Digital shows Parab taking instructions of Rane’s arrest from someone on phone. He can be heard saying that he will speak with the police and get Rane arrested.
Minister Parab giving instructions for Rane arrest.
— Suresh Nakhua ( सुरेश नाखुआ )🇮🇳 (@SureshNakhua) August 24, 2021
Part 2 pic.twitter.com/sDl6xtnfoy
Parab then dials to someone and instructs him to detain Rane using ‘police force.’ He also says that both the High Court and Sessions Court have rejected Rane’s bail plea and that they can go ahead with the arrest.
As Parab was sitting with his microphone on, his conversations were audible. He asks why Rane has not been arrested yet. Then he is asked for updates by a Sena legislator sitting next to him. Parab was seen telling that Police is there and Rane will be brought out now. But when the media asks Parab about Rane, he was seen telling that he does not have all the details.
JP Nadda says ‘arrest unconstitutional’
National President of BJP JP Nadda in a Twitter post claimed that Rane’s detention was unlawful and unconstitutional. “The arrest of Union Minister Narayan Rane ji by the Maharashtra government is a violation of constitutional values. We will neither be scared nor suppressed by such action. These people are troubled by the immense support the BJP is getting in the Jan-Aashirvad Yatra. We will continue to fight democratically, the journey will continue,” Nadda said in a Tweet.
महाराष्ट्र सरकार द्वारा केंद्रीय मंत्री नारायण राणे जी की गिरफ़्तारी संवैधानिक मूल्यों का हनन है। इस तरह की कार्यवाही से ना तो हम डरेंगे, ना दबेंगे।
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) August 24, 2021
भाजपा को जन-आशीर्वाद यात्रा में मिल रहे अपार समर्थन से ये लोग परेशान है।
हम लोकतांत्रिक ढंग से लड़ते रहेंगे, यात्रा जारी रहेंगी।
Devendra Fadnavis slams Maha govt
Leader of Opposition and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis slammed the Maharashtra government for using police force against Rane.
“We do not support Narayan Rane’s statements. But looking at the way the government is using police force to act in a lawless manner, we will support Rane as an individual and the whole party is with him,” said Fadnavis while addressing the media.
“This is ‘policejivi’ government. It is state-sponsored violence just like in Bengal,” he said further.
Sena mocks Rane
Going berserk over Rane’s statement, Shiv Sena through its official handle mocked the Union Minister.
— Shivsena Communication (@ShivsenaComms) August 24, 2021
In a distasteful video, Sena shows a clip of Rane addressing the media and then being detained by the police a few hours later.
