Mumbai Police register case against rapper for ‘anti-govt’ song

PTI, Apr 9, 2023, 11:46 AM IST

Mumbai Police have registered a case against rapper Umesh Khade for his song allegedly against government and the administrative system, an official said on Sunday. With this, the Maharashtra Police have registered cases against two different rappers in a week for allegedly targeting the government.

In the latest case, a complaint was filed by an official of the Mumbai Police’s Crime Intelligence Unit.

Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered on Friday against rapper Umesh Khade, who stays in Wadala area of Mumbai, for his song ”Bhongli keli janata” (referring to sufferings faced by people), the official said.

Khade had uploaded the song on a social media platform having the account name Shambho, and the song went viral, he said. The case was registered against Khade under Sections 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, he said. He was called for questioning by the police on Thursday and later allowed to go, the official said. After registration of the FIR on Friday, a notice was served to Khade asking him to appear before the investigating officer whenever required, he said, adding the rapper was not arrested.

Nationalist Congress Party leader Jitendra Awhad had in a tweet said there was nothing offensive in Khade’s song. Earlier, the Ambernath police in neighbouring Thane district on Wednesday registered a case against rapper Raj Mungse for his song which allegedly targeted the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra using derogatory language without naming anyone, the official said.