Case lodged against 30 over rumours on PMC action on Kasba Peth Dargah

Police naik Subhash Jarande lodged an FIR at the Kondhwa police station against 13 persons who allegedly spread false information and rumours on social media.

Police booked the accused persons in this FIR under section 505 (2) of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the IT Act.

A huge police force was deployed in the area to prevent violation of law and order.

Meanwhile, police havaldar Pramod Jagtap lodged another FIR at the Faraskhana police station against the persons who allegedly spread wrong and provocative information regarding the PMC action on illegal structure of the Dargah.
Police booked 17 persons and other unidentified accused in this case under sections 141, 145, 149, 117, 153 (a), 341 of the IPC.

As stated in the FIR, the accused persons allegedly spread wrong information that provoked the community, sparked communal tensions and gathered people illegally near the Dargah, causing violation of law.

There is a dispute going on about the Dargah for the last few years. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and BJP have been claiming that the dargah was built on a temple (Punyeshwar) during the Mughal era.
They also claim that as per the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) there is evidence of a temple at the dargah site.

The issue was raised in the Kasba bypoll as it falls in its jurisdiction. A few months ago, Hindutva groups and BJP leader Nitesh Rane had held a protest outside civic headquarters against PMC for delaying action against the alleged illegal structure at the dargah.

Last month, PMC had served notice to the trustee of the religious structure over the illegal construction in its premises and warned of action against it. Police said as rumours spread that PMC would demolish the Dargah structure, huge number of persons from Muslim community gathered near it.

On Saturday, PMC and police authorities held a meeting with trustees of the dargah. A civic officer said the trustees have agreed to remove the illegal structure themselves.

“They have said no damage should be caused to the main religious structure as mentioned in the government gazette of 1927. Action should be limited to the illegal structure that came up at the new premises after PMC issued a ‘work stop’ notice in 2019,” officials said.
Meanwhile, police bandobast was deployed at Dargah and adjoining areas to prevent any untoward incident.