Narayan Rane Arrest: Ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis Defends Union Minister, Slams Uddhav Govt For ‘Misusing’ Police

Fadnavis further said the BJP does not support Rane's statement, but will stand by him over the illegal arrest.

Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis (File Image)

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday lashed out at Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena government in the state over the arrest of Union Minister Narayan Rane.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader accused the Maharashtra government of misusing the police force against Rane.

Fadnavis further said the BJP does not support Rane's statement, but will stand by him over the illegal arrest.

He alleged the police have initiated action against Rane to please the state government.

Taking potshots at Nashik Police Commissioner Deepak Pandey who earlier issued orders for the immediate arrest of Rane, Fadnavis said the top cop considers himself to be “Chhatrapati”.

Citing the case of Sharjeel Usmani, Fadnavis said the former student leader of Aligarh Muslim University comes to Maharashtra and curses the country, but no action is taken against him.

“This is not a crime…but efforts are being made to convert it into a crime,” he added defending Rane.

All ministers in Fadnavis government ‘corrupt’: Rane

It may be recalled here that Rane, who was earlier with the Congress, had been at loggerheads with Fadnavis when the latter was the Maharashtra Chief Minister.

Rane had earlier in 2015 hit out at Fadnavis and his government.

“All the ministers in this government are corrupt. I’ve proof of their ill deeds, and plan to expose them all,” he said during a Congress rally against the Fadnavis government in Ratnagiri.

Rane arrested over 'slap' barb at Maharashtra CM

Rane was arrested in Ratnagiri earlier in the day for his ‘slap’ jab directed at Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

He had earlier moved the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of the FIRs against him.

The BJP leader in his petition, filed through advocate Aniket Nikam, also sought an interim order granting him protection from arrest or any coercive action.

The Union Minister stirred a controversy earlier on Monday with his remarks about slapping the Maharashtra Chief Minister for what he claimed his “ignorance of the year of India’s Independence”.