Union Minister Narayan Rane Approaches Bombay HC To Quash FIRs For Remarks Against Uddhav Thackeray

The bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar refused to hear an urgent mentioning by Adv Aniket Nikam for Rane and asked him to file praecipe as per the procedure.

Nikam said he is seeking directions to the registry to allow him to file the petition based on a signed scanned copy of the petition and fix the matter for hearing tomorrow.

However, the bench said they cannot permit mentioning this way. He should file the petition and then put in a precipice, it would be considered and listed if urgency was found.

"The police have arrived to arrest him, they are waiting at his doorstep," he said.

An hour later, Nikam again mentioned the matter stating that Rane has been placed under arrest without following the procedure.

"He has been put under arrest without being given a notice under section 41A of the CrPC. Offences are punishable with less than 7 years".

However, the bench refused. "Please follow the procedure. Don't make us do the job of the registry," Justice Shinde said.

"We cannot interfere with the procedure of the registry. If there is an urgency we will list the matter on the next day," Justice Shinde said.

Rane had sparked off a row over his remarks about slapping CM Thackeray for what he claimed was the latter's ignorance of the year of India's independence.

The three FIRs have been registered in Raigad, Pune, and Nashik districts following his remarks during a speech in Raigad, on Monday.

The Pune FIR is for offences of defamation and inciting violence.