Mumbai: The Nashik Police have sent a notice to Union Minister Narayan Rane in connection with an FIR registered against him over his remarks against Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Rane has been asked to appear at the police station on September 2.
The Union Minister, who was granted bail by the Magistrate Court in Mahad in Raigad district of Maharashtra hours after his arrest over his comment on slapping Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, reached his Juhu residence on Wednesday morning. Security has been enhanced at the minister's residence. According to sources, the Union minister will move an application later today in the Bombay High Court for quashing of FIRs against him. A team of lawyers had visited Rane at his residence in connection with this.
In another recent development, CM Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday night held a meeting with home minister Dilip Walse Patil at the former's official residence 'Varsha' in Mumbai. According to sources, the home minister briefed the CM about Rane's arrest and the law and order situation in the state. Further details of the meeting, however, were not known. Some Yuva Sena leaders also met the CM at his residence late at night.
Read: Court grants bail to Narayan Rane in Maha CM remark case
According to sources, the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress have backed Shiv Sena in connection with the arrest of Rane. NCP leader Nawab Malik on Tuesday had slammed Rane for his alleged derogatory remarks against CM Thackeray. "Nobody is above the law. Strict action will be taken against such people who like to take law in their hands," the NCP leader said.
The Union Minister had on Monday moved the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of FIRs against him. The first FIR against Rane was registered at Chaturshringi Police Station of Pune city following a complaint by Yuva Sena, for using objectionable language against the CM. Rane faces four FIRs across Maharashtra over his remark. He was taken into custody at Golwali in Ratnagiri district on Tuesday afternoon. He was then handed over to Raigad police in connection with the FIR registered at Mahad. While granting bail, the court ordered Rane to appear at the Ratnagiri police station for inquiry on August 31 and September 13. It has also cautioned Rane not to commit a similar kind of offence in the future. The bail was granted on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 15,000.
Rane, during his Jan Ashirwad Yatra in Raigad district on August 23, said Thackeray had to check the year of independence with his aides midway during the I-day speech. 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 said during his speech.
Read: Rane's arrest violative of constitutional values: Nadda
Meanwhile, state BJP president Chandrakant Patil said that the bail of Rane is a 'slap' by the Court on the face of the state government. He also said that Jan Ashirwad Yatra in the state would continue despite all odds.
