Case filed against me by Nashik police under Maha CM’s pressure: Sanjay Raut

PTI, May 15, 2023, 10:51 AM IST

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday alleged that the Nashik police have registered a case against him under pressure from Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and state Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Raut in a Twitter post also claimed that democracy and freedom have been severely affected in Maharashtra and said such ”autocracy” has to be fought back.

The Nashik police have registered the case against Rajya Sabha member and Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Raut for his alleged appeal to state officials and police personnel to not follow orders of the ”illegal” state government, police earlier said. Raut had made the remarks on May 12, a day after the Supreme Court pronounced its verdict on the Shiv Sena-centric political imbroglio in Maharashtra.

The Nashik police suo motu took cognisance of the remarks and the case was registered under section 505(1) (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Police (Incitement to Disaffection) Act, and other relevant sections, an official said on Sunday.

Section 505 (1) (b) deals with the ”intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquility”. Raut in a tweet on Monday claimed, ”The police registered the case against me under pressure from the chief minister and state home minister.” The Rajya Sabha member wondered what was his crime. “I had expressed my opinion that the state administration should not follow the orders of this government because they might face legal implications in future. Is this even a crime? The state government directly filed a case against me,” he tweeted.

The Supreme Court held on Thursday it cannot reinstate the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government headed by Uddhav Thackeray since he chose to resign without facing the floor test in the wake of a rebellion in his party. The unanimous verdict by a five-judge Constitution bench came as a relief for CM Shinde even as it censured former Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over his decision calling upon Thackeray to prove his majority in the Assembly based on a request by the Shinde faction of the Sena. Shinde, who led the rebellion in the Shiv Sena against Thackeray sparking a nine-day political crisis in June last year, later tied up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form a new government. Refusing to disqualify the 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs including Chief Minister Shinde, the bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said the court cannot ordinarily adjudicate disqualification petitions under the anti-defection law and directed Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar to take a decision on the pending matter within a ”reasonable period. Citing the SC order, Raut in his Twitter post claimed, “After the Supreme Court’s verdict, the procedure that led to formation of the state government has now become illegal. The appointment of chief whip and Shinde as leader of the party in the Legislative Assembly has now become unconstitutional.” “The situation is such that the 16 MLAs can be disqualified any time. However, I am not afraid of any action against me,” he said.

Democracy and freedom have been severely affected in Maharashtra, Raut claimed and said such ”autocracy” has to be fought back.