Maharashtra actor, student arrested over posts on Sharad Pawar: Police

The 21-year-old student, Nikhil Bhamre, is a resident of Nashik district and a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh worker, said police.
Bhamre, too, did not directly name Pawar, tweeting in Marathi: “Time has come for Baramati’s Gandhi……to create Nathuram Godse of Baramati.”

Baramati town, in Pune district, is Pawar’s home turf.

The two posts sparked massive outrage among NCP workers in Maharashtra, with leaders rushing to several police stations in the state to lodge complaints.

A group of people try to attack actor Ketaki Chitale, at Kalamboli Police station. (Express photo)

Leaders across the aisle condemned the remarks.

Chitale, in fact, was booked under three FIRs by as many police stations — in Pune, Pimpri and Thane.

It was the Thane Crime Branch that arrested her. It booked her under IPC Sections 500 (defamation), 501 (printing or engraving defamatory matter) and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), and will carry out the investigation in the case.

Chitale, who is known for her controversial posts on social media, was held at Navi Mumbai. While she was being escorted in a police van from Kalamboli police station, a mob of NCP workers surrounded her and attempted to throw ink on her. Chitale was manhandled and some ink fell on her hand and clothes.

Actor Ketaki Chitale being shifted from Kalamboli station in a police vehicle. (Express photo)

Her post referring to “Pawar” says he is a liar, jealous of Brahmins, suffering (from cancer) because of corruption and headed to hell. The post, put up on Friday evening, received 7,400 likes and was shared by 585 people in 24 hours. It is attributed to an advocate named Nitin Bhave.

Meanwhile, Bhamre, who comes from a farmer’s family in Nashik’s Dindori, was arrested in Nashik city where he is pursuing his graduation. Bhamre does not have a prior criminal record and, in the past, was an RSS worker, said police. Police said he has made several such comments in the past as well.

An FIR was registered against Bhamre under IPC Sections 153A, 500, 501, 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation). He will be produced before a magistrate court on Sunday.

All major political parties in Maharashtra condemned the post against Pawar.

Maharashtra Housing Development Minister Jitendra Awhad said the youths attached to the NCP will register offences in “at least 100-200” police stations in Maharashtra in connection with Chitale’s post. He had also reported Bhamre’s May 11 tweet to the police, leading to the latter’s arrest.

“We need to keep in mind what kind of language we use while speaking about senior leaders,” said Devendra Fadnavis, Opposition leader and former CM.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray on Saturday said: “We have differences with them [Pawar] and those will be there. But it is quite wrong to come to such a hideous level.”

At a rally in Mumbai, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray castigated the actor: “Who are you to criticise the NCP chief ?…Why are you commenting ? She seems to be someone from the fake Hindutva camp.”

This is not the first time the actor, who has 50,600 followers on Instagram and 26,000 on Facebook, has landed in trouble. In 2020, she was booked for a social media post seen as being insulting towards Dalits. Prior to that she has made comments on other religions and even Chhatrapati Shivaji that have not gone down well.

Earlier this month, Delhi BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga had been arrested by the Punjab Police in connection with a case in Mohali over a tweet on Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. The Punjab Police convoy taking Bagga to their state was stopped by Haryana Police and later Delhi Police filed an FIR against Punjab personnel for abducting the BJP leader. Punjab Police comes under an AAP government, Haryana Police is under a BJP government, and Delhi Police under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court later granted him protection from arrest till July 6.