MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana. (Express File)
Mumbai News: In its detailed order granting bail to Independent MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana a special court on Friday said that while they ‘crossed the lines of freedom of speech and expression’ in their ‘blameworthy’ statements against the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, mere expression of derogatory or objectionable words is not a sufficient ground to invoke the Sedition Act.
The Mumbai Police have kept a huge force on standby at its headquarters to avert any law-and-order situation in the city amid MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s call for playing Hanuman Chalisa in front of mosques playing Azaan on loudspeakers. Eleven FIRs were registered and 56 people arrested across Maharashtra on Tuesday and Wednesday in connection with this. Thackeray said that the protest in the form of playing the Hanuman Chalisa in front of mosques will continue until all loudspeakers are removed.
Meanwhile, NCP leader Sharad Pawar was questioned by lawyers about Elgaar Parishad during a cross examination before the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry on Thursday. Advocate B G Bansode questioned Pawar about his recommendation to form a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the role of Pune city police in the investigation. The two-member commission headed by retired justice J N Patel is probing into the causes of violence in Koregaon Bhima area of Pune on January 1, 2018.
Mumbai News Live Updates: Fares of AC local trains slashed; Police on standby amid Hanuman Chalisa protests; Sharad Pawar questioned by Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. Follow this space for more updates:
MNS chief Raj Thackeray.
Loudspeaker row: PIL in Bombay HC seeks sedition FIR against Raj Thackeray
Hemant Baburao Patil, a Pune-based activist, recently approached the Bombay High Court with a PIL seeking registration of FIR against MNS chief Raj Thackeray for offences of sedition, breach of peace and public nuisance under Indian Penal Code.
The PIL also sought direction to restrain him from organising tours and press conferences related to playing Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers and for removing loudspeakers from mosques.
Patil claimed due to statements made by Thackeray during public meetings against NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, there is a chance of protest all over Maharashtra by NCP workers and the same may lead to breach of peace in society.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/mumbai-weather-traffic-covid-hanuman-chalisa-live-updates-7903631/
