New Delhi: Police registered an FIR after former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan received an email threatening him over his demand that Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide be arrested for his “controversial” comments on Mahatma Gandhi's lineage, news agency PTI reported. Security has also been stepped for the senior Congress leader after the email.
According to the report, a source familiar to the matter said Chavan had lodged a police complaint in Karad city after he got the email on Saturday night. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered on Sunday, Superintendent of Police Sameer Sheikh told PTI.
"The sender used abusive language as Chavan has demanded the arrest of right-wing activist Sambhaji alias Manohar Bhide for making defamatory comments against Mahatma Gandhi," PTI quoted the source as saying.
It is to be noted that Bhide was booked by Rajapeth police in Amravati a day earlier for allegedly commenting on Mahatma Gandhi’s lineage while addressing an event on Thursday.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the threat email, senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan tweeted saying Bhide was yet to be arrested despite making “defamatory” remarks against Gandhi and other national icons, but Prithviraj Chavan, who flagged the matter and demanded his arrest, was getting threats.
"BJP says it has nothing to do with Bhide but at the same time its party workers, along with Bhide's supporters, demand that cases be filed against Congress leader Yashomati Thakur,” Chavan said.
"All this is condemnable. The government should clear its stand before the resumption of the monsoon session of the state legislature next Wednesday,'' Ashok Chavan added.
Earlier, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said police will take appropriate action against Bhide for his alleged controversial remarks. He further said that the right-wing leader who runs an independent organisation has no link to BJP.