MUMBAI: A metropolitan magistrate in Mumbai on Monday granted bail to a Nagpur resident Sameet thakkar who was arrested by Mumbai police for his allegedly offensive tweets about Maharashtra’s chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aditya Thackeray, also a minister.
Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court refused to receive a request under article 32 of the Indian constitution, presented by Thakkar to request his release with his lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani alleging violation of their fundamental rights in undue detention. He also wanted the consolidation of the three criminal cases registered against him in Nagpur and Mumbai and to secure a single investigation. Rahul Chitnis, the Maharashtra state attorney in SC said Thakkar was in police custody of the BKC Cyber Police Station and his next preventive detention date was November 16. Chitnis said that “your questioning is complete and we have no objection if you file a bond application.”
Thakkar has one case in Nagpur and two cases against him in Mumbai, one in VP Highway Police Station and the other in the cyber police of BKC. He was arrested on October 24 and sent to police custody. He was arrested again, a third time by the BKC police after obtaining bail.
Previously, the Bombay High Court in its main court in Mumbai on October 12 had asked Thakkar to appear before the BKC Cyber Police Station between 11 a.m. M. And the 1 p. M. On Friday (October 16) and also before VP Marg between 3 and 5 p.m. to record your statement and turn over your cell phone for investigation.
The case against him is for alleged obscenity and ‘hate speech’ for a certain publication on social networks against the CM and Aditya Thackeray.
Sameet’s lawyer had asked the HC for permission for his lawyer to remain present during the interrogation, in plain view but out of earshot. Deepak Thakre’s prosecutor had even said that if such a request was made, it would be allowed.
Thakre had also said that the police were aware of the provisions of section 41A of the code of criminal procedure that requires reasons in writing in the event of an arrest when a defendant is notified to request their explanation.
However, he did not appear before the Mumbai police on October 16. He was then arrested in connection with the Nagpur case of Rajkot.
The FIR against Thakkar with the BKC cyber police relied on a complaint filed by Dharmendra Mishra, a lawyer for the Shiv Sena party.
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