Rane granted bail after arrest over 'slap Uddhav' remark

Maharashtra Police arrested Union Minister and BJP Rajya Sabha member Narayan Rane on Tuesday for threatening to "slap" Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. He was released on bail nearly nine hours after his arrested in Mahad, Raigad, but district officials said he was the subject of four other FIRs in the state.

The Mahad MIDC police arrested the BJP leader, who joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet in July, under sections 153A (1)(provoke to riot), 505(2), 504, 506(criminal intimidation), 189 (threat of injury to public servant) of the IPC earlier in the day.

The court granted Rane cash bail of Rs 15,000, and imposed a condition to appear in the Mahad City police station on August 30 and September 13. The police were asked to issue him a seven-day notice for seeking his voice sample.

The court has also cautioned Rane not to commit a similar kind of offence in the future.

Rane got bail around 9.45 pm, hours after his arrest. He argued at a court in Raigad that he was arrested on politically motivated charges without proper notice. He also cited his health and the fact that he is a Cabinet Minister.

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According to PTI, the Raigad court judge said: "Considering the reason for arrest and other reasons, I found that the arrest is justified." But Magistrate SS Patil said there was no need for custody.

This was not the first time Rane had targeted the chief minister and his party.

Narayan Rane has been taking potshots at Uddhav Thackeray and his family ever since he was inducted into the Union Cabinet.

During his visit to flood-affected areas in Raigad and Ratnagiri, Narayan Rane had lashed out at state government officials who were busy handling Uddhav Thackeray's visit. In a viral clip, Rane was heard telling the official: "CM gela udat" (Don't care if you were with the CM)".

(With inputs from ANI)