This is an archive article published on September 17, 2021
No coercive action till September 30 against Rane in Nashik FIR, Maharashtra govt tells HC
Narayan Rane had stoked a controversy after his August 23 statement in Raigad that he would have slapped the Maharashtra CM for “not knowing how many years it has been since India gained Independence”.
The Maharashtra government on Friday told the Bombay High Court that it has extended till September 30 its assurance of protection from coercive action to Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Narayan Rane, who had challenged the FIR filed by the Nashik Cyber Police over his remark against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
After Rane’s counsel sought interim protection from court in the FIRs other than the one registered in Nashik, the HC suggested that he should file separate petitions instead of one. Besides Nashik, the FIRs have been registered at Mahad, Thane, Pune, Jalgaon and Ahmednagar.
A division bench of Justices S S Shinde and N J Jamadar was hearing Rane’s plea seeking to quash the FIRs against him.
“The FIRs are from different police stations of different jurisdictions. Let the challenge to each of the FIR be in separate petitions. It will be more convenient for the prosecution in taking instructions from each police station,” Justice Shinde said, adding the bench will tag all petitions together for hearing.
Rane’s counsel Ashok Mundargi agreed and said that they will file separate petitions and sought an interim protection in all FIRs registered against the Union minister in connection with his August 23 remark.
However, the court said that it would first hear the pleas and then decide on the same.
Additional Public Prosecutor J P Yagnik said that the petitioner had assured that he would cooperate with the probe conducted by Nashik Police and has been asked to appear before it on September 25. Mundargi said that his client will cooperate and as the Nashik Police have sent him a notice under Section 41A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) asking him to appear before them, he will do so via videoconferencing on September 25.
On August 25, senior advocate Amit Desai, representing the Maharashtra government, had informed the court that no coercive action would be taken against the minister in the Nashik FIR until further orders.
Desai had, however, refused to make a blanket statement on protection in all FIRs and pointed out that the petition only referred to Nashik FIR, while it lacked details of others.
Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions.
Expertise & Authority
Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage.
Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in:
Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include:
Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes).
Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty).
Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict.
Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability.
Legal Interpretation: Reports on public speeches and observations by prominent judicial figures (e.g., former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai) on topics like free speech, gender equality, and institutional challenges.
Omkar Gokhale's consistent, focused reporting on the judiciary establishes him as a definitive and authoritative voice for legal developments originating from Mumbai and impacting the entire state of Maharashtra. ... Read More
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