The Maharashtra government told the Bombay High Court on Wednesday that it would not take any coercive action against Union minister Narayan Rane in an FIR registered in Nashik over his controversial remarks against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
A division bench of Justices S S Shinde and N J Jamadar was hearing a petition filed by Rane, seeking to quash the FIR lodged in Nashik and all other cases that may be lodged in future. Rane in his plea, submitted before the HC on Tuesday, also sought interim protection from arrest.
Senior counsel Amit Desai, appearing for the state government, said no coercive action will be taken against Rane in the FIR registered in Nashik till September 17, when the plea would be heard. Rane's advocate Satish Maneshinde sought protection in all cases that may arise out of the alleged statement. Desai, however, said a blanket statement of protection cannot be made as the petition only mentions the Nashik FIR.
The court agreed and posted the matter for further hearing on September 17. Rane was arrested on Tuesday afternoon from Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra following his remarks that he would have slapped Chief Minister Thackeray for what he claimed as the latter's ignorance of the year of India's independence. He was later granted bail by a court at Mahad in Raigad district.
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