BJP leader Pravin Darekar approaches Bombay HC to quash FIR by NCP leader
India Today
The Bombay HC issued a notice to the Maharashtra government to respond to a plea by BJP leader Pravin Darekar. He asked the court to quash a case filed against him last year for allegedly making objectionable remarks about women.
The Bombay High Court has issued a notice to the Maharashtra government, asking it to respond to a plea by BJP leader Pravin Darekar, who had approached the court to quash a case filed against him last year for allegedly making objectionable remarks about women.
Darekar, who is leader of the Opposition in the legislative council in Maharashtra, was booked under Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of women) of the Indian Penal Code on a complaint lodged by Pune-based NCP leader Rupali Chakankar in September 2021, after he criticised the ruling party at a public meeting in Shirur in Pune district.
Darekar denied the allegations and moved the high court against the case lodged at the Sinhagad Road police station, calling it “arbitrary” and “politically motivated”.
However, it is reported that while giving his speech, Darekar had sharply criticised the NCP, saying that the party does not have time to pay attention and solve poor people's problems and does not even care for its grassroots workers. Instead, it's a party for the industrialists and banks.
He had further added, "the NCP is the party that would kiss painted cheeks."
Chakankar's case was registered under zero FIR and immediately transferred to Pune Rural police as the particular alleged speech by Darekar was delivered in Shirur tehsil and it comes under rural police jurisdiction.
When Darekar’s petition came up for hearing, a bench of Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Anil S Kilor issued notices to the state government and Chakankar. The case will now be heard again after three weeks.
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