FIR against Nitesh Rane in Nagpur for allegedly hurting religious sentiments
The case was registered under sections 196, 299, 302, 352, and 353 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The Gittikhadan police in Nagpur have registered a case against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Nitesh Rane, son of former Union minister and Lok Sabha MP Narayan Rane, for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of a particular community during a speech in Ahmednagar on September 1.
The case, following a complaint by a person named Mohammed Yunus Patel (47), a resident of Awasthi Nagar in south Nagpur, was registered under sections 196, 299, 302, 352, and 353 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Kailash Deshmane, the senior police inspector of Gittikhadan police station, confirmed the development on Wednesday. “We are investigating the matter and, if necessary, we will take Rane’s statement and initiate appropriate actions against him,” he said.
According to the complaint, during an event in Ahmednagar in support of Ramgiri Maharaj, the BJP MLA allegedly threatened a particular community.
“Our community’s religious sentiments have been hurt by Rane’s statement,” the complainant said.
Reacting to his speech, Nitesh Rane said that it was just a counter reaction against certain people. He refused to comment more on the issue.
Rane, who is close to Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, was allegedly caught on video threatening to enter mosques and attack those who criticise Ramgiri Maharaj, a Hindu seer who is facing the heat for his inflammatory speeches.
“If you dare harm our Ramgiri Maharaj, we will enter your masjid (mosque) and hunt you down one by one. Keep this in mind,” Rane was recorded as saying.
Earlier, several FIRs were registered against Rane across the state following his speech at Ahmednagar, including in Shrirampur, Thane, and Bhiwandi.