While all rivals of the BJP have been accusing the current dispensation of “intolerance” for the past eight years, the police in Thane arrested Marathi actress Ketaki Chitale today after a case was registered against her for allegedly sharing a “derogatory” post about BJP’s rival in Maharashtra, NCP president Sharad Pawar, on social media platforms. The actress was not even the writer of the post. She had shared it from the wall of some other user of the medium.
The post mentioned the surname Pawar, aged 80 years, at one place. The NCP supremo is 81 years old.
The post contained phrases like “hell is waiting” and “you hate Brahmins”, allegedly referring to Pawar whose party shares power in Maharashtra with the Shiv Sena and Indian National Congress.
“The offence against Chitale was registered at Kalwa police station in Thane on Saturday based on a complaint lodged by Swapnil Netke,” a police official had said.
The crime branch in Thane arrested Chitale (29) from Navi Mumbai.
This evening, NCP supporters and Pawar’s die-hard fans threw black ink and eggs at Chitale outside the Kalamboli police station in Navi Mumbai. The miscreants were mostly workers of the NCP’s women’s wing.
Earlier, the case had been registered against the Marathi actress under Sections 500 (defamation), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 505 (2) (making, publishing or circulating any statement, rumour or report promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes), 153 A (spreading disharmony among people) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Kalwa police station in Thane.
In Pune, another case was registered against her based on a complaint filed by an NCP worker.
The cyber wing of the police registered a case against Chitale under IPC sections 153 (A), 500, and 505 (2). In Dhule also, a case was registered against Chitale and Nitin Bhave, the purported author of the controversial post shared by the actress, under similar sections of the IPC, including section 34 (common intention), on a complaint lodged by an NCP leader.
Meanwhile, when asked by reporters in Nanded about the episode, Pawar said he did not know Chitale and had no idea about what the Marathi actress had allegedly posted about him on social media. “I don’t know the person and also have no idea about what you are saying (about the actress’s post),” he said, answering a query.
Asked about the post allegedly shared by Chitale on Facebook, the NCP chief told reporters that he didn’t know about it.
Pawar asked a reporter, “What has she done? What was her complaint (about him)?” The veteran leader further said it would not be right for him to comment on the issue until he learns what the actress had done.
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