Mumbai Top News: In Hanuman Chalisa row, Ranas approach HC; Fadnavis demands action after Somaiya car assault – The Indian Express

“As second FIR is registered against petitioners in case, if state government is desirous of initiating any action in pursuant to second FIR, the officers of state government shall issue 72 hours notice to petitioners before taking such action,” the High Court said.

The couple had sought setting aside the second FIR registered on April 24 against them under IPC Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty). The petitioners have also requested that they be protected from no coercive action in respect of impuned FIR and stay the investigation in connection with the same.

Advocate Rizwan Merchant, who appeared for the petitioner couple, submitted, “If charge under 124A (sedition) was added on April 24, why the offence under section 353 was not included in same FIR? If the police added s. 124A during the time of remand, it could have added s 353 also. We are not running away and we will co-operate with the probe. You cannot allow this FIR to continue so that while my bail plea in first FIR is going on or decided, they can arrest us in this case. Similar FIRs in Pune and elsewhere. It is exactly happening like Amish Devgan case in which supreme court had pulled up prosecution.”

The HC orally observed, “The span of occurrence as placed on record is showing the two occurences are not in series. These are two independent different offences.”

Merchant argued, ” There are FIRs in Pune, Osmanabad and Amravati. Notice under section 41A of CrPC was not issued to petitioners and therefore the officer was not discharging official duty. They arrested us on the the apprehension that since PM was coming to the city, it will create law and order situation. Let it be one single transaction (FIR) and it cannot be broken into compartments. Let it be considered as part of first FIR. And other FIRs be quashed and instead be treated as statements under section 162 of CrPC as directed by Supreme Court in Amish Devgan case and let only one FIR remain.”

Merchant says petitioners do not want to go through humiliation under second arrest. After her arrest, her health condition was not good.

To which Justice Prasanna B Varale referred to remark made by the bench few days ago in “Narayan Rane slap remark against CM Thackeray case. The judge said, “We expect who are occupying some position, even if they are representatives of people, they have to act responsibly against other representatives also. Even we observed this, it fell on deaf ears. Hope better sense prevails. Probably we learnt a lesson that this court shall not expect something even from persons occupying responsible positions.”

Special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat representing Mumbai Police said they are two seperate offences and be treated in two different FIRs. “The petitioners argued with the police and made remarks. At this juncture we have to accept the facts in FIR. The fact of opposing arrest cannot be jointly considered with the offences they’ve committed in first FIR,” Gharat argued.

The bench asks in respect of which acts Police invoked section 124A (sedition). Gharat responded, “They had spoken about brining down the government. They wanted to recite Hanuman chalisa in front of CM’s residence. Initially 124A wasn’t invoked but based on statements recorded, it was revealed that the motive was not purely simple. Hanuman chalisa was used as cover under which they wanted to challenge the state machinery and the CM is head of the machinery.”

Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana approached the Bombay High Court Monday to file a petition against charges levied against them. The court will likely hear the matter at 2:30 pm on Monday. The Mumbai Police on Sunday slapped a sedition charge on Ravi Rana and Navneet Rana, and a  metropolitan magistrate court sent them to 14-day judicial custody. Their call for chanting Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence had triggered protests and chaos.

The duo were arrested for “creating enmity between different groups”. The Mumbai Police also shifted Independent MP Navneet Rana to the Byculla women’s jail in Mumbai, while Ravi Rana was taken to Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai amid tight security, an official said on Monday.

In another sign of rising tensions between the BJP and Shiv Sena, Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday stayed away from the first Lata Dinanath Mangeshkar Award in Mumbai where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honoured. Sources in the Sena said the party is upset with the Mangeshkar family for not putting the CM’s name on the invitation card for the event.

This is not the first time Thackeray has skipped a programme with PM Modi. On March 6, when the prime minister visited Pune to inaugurate the Pune Metro rail project, Thackeray stayed away from the function too.

Some glimpses from today’s programme in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/h083MfvyHt

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2022

In other news, a day after Shiv Sena supporters allegedly hurled footwear and water bottles at BJP leader Kirit Somaiya’s SUV, his party colleague Devendra Fadnavis has written a letter to Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, demanding strict action in connection with the attack.

🔴Take a look at more developments from Maharashtra 

Hindutva is culture, not chaos, says Shiv Sena; slams BJP over Hanuman Chalisa row

In the wake of a political row in Maharashtra over the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa, the Shiv Sena on Monday hit out at the BJP and said the Hindutva ideology is a culture and not chaos.

An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ claimed the BJP’s “rotten brain” was behind independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana’s earlier call to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence ‘Matoshree’, that resulted in angry protests by Shiv Sainiks outside the couple’s home here on Saturday. The Marathi daily alleged that the Rana couple wanted to vitiate the city’s atmosphere, and said they should conduct this programme in the office lobby of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil (Facebook @Dwalsepatil)

Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil on Sunday said efforts were on by some people to create an atmosphere conducive to the imposition of the President’s Rule in the state.

He also termed as “appropriate” the arrest of the Ranas in connection with their announcement to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside the residence of Chief Minister Thackeray in Mumbai. The plan by Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana had angered Shiv Sena workers, who held strident protests against them on Saturday. The Ranas were later arrested for “creating enmity between different groups”.

Maharashtra people feel President’s Rule should be imposed: Fadnavis

Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis (File)

In view of strident protests by Shiv Sena workers in Mumbai against the Ranas and the “attack” on the SUV of former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said that the people of Maharashtra feel President’s Rule should be imposed in the state.

Though Fadnavis made it clear that the BJP will not demand President’s Rule in the state, his party colleague and Union minister Narayan Rane said it should be imposed as the state government has failed to maintain law and order and indulged in the “politics of revenge”.

Somaiya’s driver booked for rash driving as two Shiv Sainiks sustain minor injuries: Police

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya. (Express photo)

The Mumbai police have registered an FIR against the driver of senior BJP leader Somaiya for allegedly driving in a rash and negligent manner, due to which a Shiv Sena corporator and a party worker suffered minor injuries, an official said on Sunday.

The FIR was registered late Saturday night after local Shiv Sena functionary Bhai Zhende lodged a complaint and sought action against the driver, the official from Khar police station said.

किरीट सोमैया मारहाण प्रकरणाचा पाठपुरावा करण्यासाठी मुंबई भाजपा चे शिष्टमंडळ दिल्ली साठी मुंबई हून रवाना, आ. मिहिर कोटेचा, आ. अमित साटम, आ. पराग शाह, आ राहुल नार्वेकर, विनोद मिश्रा आणि किरीट सोमैया.

नॉर्थ ब्लॉक दिल्ली येथे केंद्र सरकारचे गृह सचिव यांना भेटणार.@BJP4Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/Y5CkefR6iN

— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) April 25, 2022

The incident took place on Saturday night when Somaiya was returning from the Khar police station after meeting Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana following their arrest.

Will take up issue of attack on Kirit Somaiya with Centre, says Fadnavis

Fadnavis on Sunday said they will complain to the Union home secretary against the Mumbai police’s “failure” to protect Kirit Somaiya, who enjoys ‘Z’ category security. On Saturday night, some Shiv Sena supporters allegedly hurled footwear and water bottles at Somaiya’s SUV when he was leaving the Khar police station in Mumbai.

Some glimpses from today’s programme in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/h083MfvyHt

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2022

Sanjay Raut on police action against Ranas, attack on Somaiya’s car

Sanjay Raut

A day after the Mumbai police arrested Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana, Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Sunday defended the action, saying there must have been some reason behind the police action. “What business does Somaiya have in an ongoing investigation by the Mumbai police against Ravi Rana and Navneet Rana? If the police have taken some action against them, there must be some reason,” Raut said.

Referring to the attack on Somaiya’s car near the Khar police station on Saturday, Raut told reporters that “some traitors do get pelted with stones”.

INS Vikrant निधीचा अपहार करणारा आरोपी.. बोगस जात प्रमाणपत्र वापरून निवडून आलेल्या दुसऱ्या आरोपीला भेटायला जातो.
लोकांच्या भावना तीव्र होतात. देशाशी बेइमानी करणाऱ्या चोरांवर दोन दगड पडले तर भाजपला इतके तळमळ मळमळ करण्याचे कारण काय? Ins vikrant घोटाळा देशद्रोह आहे!
जय महाराष्ट्र

— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) April 24, 2022

I stay away from felicitation events but made an exception: PM Modi on Lata Mangeshkar award

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honoured with the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar award on Sunday. (Express Photo)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he generally stays away from felicitation ceremonies but made an exception to receive the first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar award named after the legendary singer whom he considered his “elder sister”. Modi received the award at Shanmukhanand Hall in Mumbai on Sunday, which marked the 80th death anniversary of  Deenanath Mangeshkar, the singing legend’s father.

“I generally keep myself away from such felicitation ceremonies. I cannot adjust myself (in such programmes). But when an award is named after an elder sister like Lata Mangeshkar, then it becomes an obligation for me to accept it because of the affection and right of the Mangeshkar family over me,” the prime minister said in his award acceptance speech.

The state breathed ‘satisfactory’ air during most of the days in 2020-21 (52 per cent of the days), according to the annual report from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).

Experts believe that the lockdown restrictions played a big role in maintaining ‘good’ and ‘satisfactory’ air quality in the state. Starting March 2020, the entire state was under a strict lockdown and there were restrictions on vehicular movements among others till the end of the year.

Air quality monitoring was carried out across 69 active Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Systems (AAQMS) installed in various regions of the state.

Maharashtra logs 144 Covid-19 cases, two fatalities

Maharashtra on Sunday reported 144 fresh Covid-19 cases and two fatalities, taking the tally of infections to 78,76,841 and the death toll to 1,47,834, a health official said. Both the deaths were reported from Pune city, he said. With 95 patients being discharged after Covid-19 treatment, the overall count of recoveries in Maharashtra rose to 77,28,091 as of Sunday, leaving the state with 916 active cases.