Thane: NCP leader and former minister Jitendra Awhad, his colleague and ex MP Anand Paranjpe and 10 of their party workers were arrested by the Vartak Nagar police in Thane for allegedly assaulting a a member of the audience inside a multiplex and stalling a show of Marathi movie Har Har Mahadev on Tuesday. Charges of rioting, assault and molestation were invoked after the same viewer complained that the NCP men had tried to touch his wife.

Awhad will be produced in a Thane court on Saturday. He will have to spend a night in police custody, said an officer. Awhad had barged into a multiplex inside Viviana mall on Monday and disrupted a screening; he ordered the audience to leave the auditorium. Awhad alleged that the movie based on Chhatrapati Shivaji’s life distorted facts and depicted historical characters in poor light.

Moments before his arrest, Awhad tweeted saying police was abusing its powers and that he was ready to fight regardless of the consequences, but he would not plead guilty. Awhad said he was on his way to Mumbai but went to the police station instead where he was engaged in talks. A little later, he claimed the DCP of the zone arrived and asked for the NCP leader and the others to be placed under arrest as “there are orders from above”.

As the news of his arrest broke, NCP workers began gathering at the spot. They shouted slogans and even prevented a police vehicle from leaving the station premises. Awhad’s wife Ruta too came to the spot and alleged highhandedness by police.

His nephew Digvijay Garje alleged, “Police are trying to frame Awhad as they had summoned a staff member from the multiplex to pressure him to implicate my uncle and to add stringent sections using a flimsy statement.”

When Awhad and his followers disrupted the show, things turned ugly after a viewer named Parikshit Durve protested the stalling and confronted the NCP men. He was assaulted in front of his wife with blows, punches and kicks. Subsequently a case was registered at Vartak Nagar police station on Durve’s complaint.

The sections invoked include assault, rioting and molestation under section 7 of Criminal Amendment Act. In his complaint, Durve alleged that as Awhad and his gang began to forcibly vacate the hall, 8-10 NCP workers tried to touch his wife. When Durve intervened he was assaulted.

Ketaki Chitale, who was arrested and was in jail for over 40 days for posting derogatory content against Sharad Pawar, dashed off a letter to Thane police asking section 354 for molestation as well as 120-B for criminal conspiracy to be added against Awhad.

State NCP chief Jayant Patil and NCP MP Supriya Sule condemned the arrest. “I am surprised and shocked over the arrest of our leader Jeetendra Awhad. More shocking is the fact that he’s been arrested for taking on people who embarked on defaming the great Maratha emperor Shivaji Maharaj,’’ Patil said.

Sule said, “If Awhad is sent to jail for questioning the anti-Shivaji brigade, then we are proud of him. Under the leadership of Shinde-Fadnavis, persons committing crimes are being let off and persons resorting to agitations for a rightful cause are being jailed. To secure power, the government has stooped to the lowest level."

Thane: Senior NCP leader Jitendra Awhad and 100 unidentified workers of the party were booked on Tuesday for disrupting the Marathi film ‘Har Har Mahadev’ at a Thane multiplex on Monday night and assaulting a businessman. Awhad had alleged that the film had distorted facts and depicted historic characters in poor light.

Police said they have filed a case of assault and under different IPC sections for rioting. However, no arrest has been made. The police action came on a complaint filed by a businessman, Parikshit Durve, who said he suffered blows, punches and kicks from the NCP mob as he protested the stalling of the show.

With the film being disrupted in Pune too, deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis spoke tough on Tuesday, saying beating up moviegoers would not be tolerated and action would be taken against those involved in the ruckus. He said people could express their opposition in a democratic way. “I have not seen the movie and am not aware of the row,” he added.

According to Durve, the cinema hall at the multiplex in Viviana Mall was occupied 50%, when the NCP activists began asking them to leave. “While Awhad was making an address, someone said they should get a refund to which the former state minister said the mall authorities would ensure that. In the meantime, someone remarked that anyone comes to theatres and stalls shows,” said Durve, adding that this enraged the mob, and 8-10 NCP workers came close to his wife. When Durve intervened, he was assaulted, the complaint said.

Later, Avinash Jadhav of the MNS restarted the show despite the NCP activists’ opposition. Jadhav also organized the screening of the film in three halls at the same multiplex on Tuesday, and all the venues were jam packed.

Durve told TOI, “It is unfortunate that political workers barge into a cinema hall with their political agenda. Law abiding people are heckled and assaulted for no fault of theirs. Is there any law for these political workers or are they just for the common man?”

He added, “My wife was initially shocked by the incident and ruckus, but is fine now. I have come for the special screening of the same film organized by the MNS.”

Thane: NCP workers led by former cabinet minister Jitendra Awhad staged a protest and disrupted the late night show of the film ‘Har Har Mahadev’ at a multiplex in Thane on Monday. They claimed the film had distorted facts and depicted historic characters in poor light.

The mob got into arguments with a few people who protested the sudden disruption, with one NCP worker allegedly roughing up a member of the audience—a businessman who had come with his family —after he demanded an explanation for the ruckus. However, Awhad intervened before the fight could turn ugly. No police case was registered.

Thane police arrived at the scene after the disruption of the film. Later, Thane and Palghar district MNS chief Avinash Jadhav, unmindful of resistance from the NCP, restarted the show.

Vinay Rathod, DCP Zone-5, said, “Following the incident, we have beefed up security at cinema theatres and are in the process of filing an offence for obstructing the screening of the show. So far, we have not received any complaints from people who had come to see the movie about being assaulted.”

Sambhaji Chhatrapati, former RS MP and a descendant of Shivaji, was recently upset over alleged distortion of history of Shivaji Maharaj. He had warned that if any of the upcoming films based on the warrior king was distorted, he would oppose it and stall its release in theatres.

Mumbai: Facing flak for playing Nathuram Godse in an upcoming film, NCP MP Amol Kolhe on Friday said he never endorsed the views and actions of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, while NCP chief Sharad Pawar said Kolhe needed to be seen as an actor. Pawar added Kolhe was not with NCP when he played the role. The film was shot in 2017, while Kolhe joined NCP later.

NCP minister Jitendra Awhad had targeted Kolhe over the issue, and BJP had sought to know the actor-turned-MP’s “exact stand on Godse. ”

Kolhe, MP from Shirur who was earlier with Shiv Sena, issued a video message on Friday. “It seems many people have got hurt because of my role as Godse in the Hindi movie 'Why I Killed Gandhi'. I have never endorsed the act of Godse or his views against Mahatma Gandhi,” he said.

Explaining the circumstances behind accepting the role, he said after playing Chhatrapati Shivaji in a TV serial, he wanted to play Chhatrapati Sambhaji on TV or in a film. Kolhe, who is an MBBS graduate, said he received an offer for a serial on Sambhaji, but the shooting got stalled after so me days.

Around this time, in 2017, he got the offer to play Godse in the film directed by Ashok Tyagi, he said. Actors like late Nilu Phule or Pran played negative roles in films but in real life they were progressive, Kolhe said. “I repeat that I do not endorse the ideology or views of Godse,” he said, adding he did not even promote the film.

“In 2017, as an actor it was my need to get a role in films. It should be understood in that context,” he said.

State Congress president Nana Patole on Friday said his party will not tolerate glorification of Gandhi’s assassin and added it would have been better if Kolhe had avoided playing the role. Patole said though Kolhe is an artiste, he is also MP of a party and is expected to act more responsibly.

State BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said Kolhe should clarify his “exact stand on Godse and his views”, because his leader Sharad Pawar did not approve of Godse’s views. “BJP is totally against Godse and his actions,” Patil added.

Earlier, Awhad had said that even if Kolhe had played Godse in his capacity as actor, “it is indeed an endorsement of Godse’s views.”

Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil had defended Kolhe.

Mumbai: NCP spokesperson and skill development minister Nawab Malik on Saturday alleged the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) freed Rishabh Sachdeva, Prateek Gaba and Amir Furniturewala, detained in the drugs case, following mounting pressure from the BJP.

According to Malik, Sachdeva is the brother-in-law of BJP leader Mohit Bhartiya. Sachdeva and friends Gaba and Furniturewala are among 11 persons, including actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan, who were detained by the NCB during a raid on a cruise on October 2. Following Malik’s allegations, Bhartiya has served a Rs 100 crore defamation notice on the NCP leader.

Meanwhile, reacting to Malik’s statement, opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis said, “Instead of supporting the NCB, NCP has politicised the entire issue. I am told that among the three persons freed by NCB, one is a friend of a high-profile NCP leader’s son.”

In a press conference, Malik said, “My contention is that due to the BJP’s mounting pressure, Sachdeva, Gaba and Furniturewala were released. NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede must explain to the people why the three were let off. When Sachdeva was emerging from the NCB office, he was accompanied by his father and uncle.”

Malik released a series of videos on the entire episode to make his point. The NCP leader reiterated the October 2 raid was fabricated to defame the MVA government as well as the film industry.

A senior NCB official said Malik’s information is “half-baked, false, baseless, motivated, an afterthought and prejudiced” .“Not 11, but 14 persons were brought to the NCB office. All of them were served a notice under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act. Their statements were recorded and thereafter, eight persons were arrested and the remaining six were let off since no incriminating evidence was found against them,” he said.

The NCB official reiterated all have been treated on par. “NCB follows a professional and unbiased approach in its ongoing mission of tackling the drug menace in the country. It takes serious action either on the basis of inputs received from public sources or based on developed intelligence inputs incorporating surveillance means,’’ he said.

Malik demanded examination of call detail records of Wankhede, Sachdeva and his father, “so people will know with whom they were in touch with after his detention and release. NCB’s operations have a direct link with the BJP”.

Meanwhile, Bhartiya said, “I have served a Rs. 100 crore defamation notice on Malik. He should tender an unconditional apology for making baseless charges. Malik is misusing his official position as a cabinet member. For obvious political reasons, he is hitting out at diligent officers of the NCB for the sole and ulterior motive of seeking vengeance for arresting his son-in-law.’’

Bhartiya added he is not an office bearer, but a BJP sympathizer.

Just a day after NCP alleged that the man seen escorting Aryan Khan in a video was from the BJP, the Pune police launched a search for Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) independent witness K P Gosavi saying he was wanted in a cheating case. The cops further said that they were alerted after Gosavi’s selfie with Aryan Khan went viral. According to sources, Gosavi has four cheating cases registered against him in Mumbai, Thane and Pune.

According to the Pune police, Gosavi was booked for allegedly cheating people on the pretext of providing them jobs in Malaysia. He had put up an advertisement on one of his social media handles, following which the complainant approached him and paid more than Rs. 3 lakh. However, he never got the job and later approached the Pune police and got an FIR registered under sections of the IPC and IT Act. “The charge sheet was filed in 2018, the year the incident happened, and Gosavi is shown as an absconder,” said Rajndra Landge, senior PI, Faraskhana police station.

The Pune cops served him a notice after the charge sheet but he never responded to it. “After the selfie with Aryan went viral, someone alerted us and we started a fresh search for him. He has been on the absconders’ list since 2018,” a senior officer of Pune police told mid-day.

Gosavi also has two cheating cases registered against him in Thane’s Kapurwadi police station in 2015 and 2016. In 2007, he was booked by the Andheri police in a cheating case. According to the Thane police, the cases registered there are under trial. “He is not wanted in the cases as the charge sheet has been filed,” a senior officer of Thane police station said.

According to Mumbai police sources, Gosavi was booked in a cheating case in 2007 when he was just 20 years old. “He was supposed to deliver a credit card and some documents to someone, but instead of that, he along with another accused made a purchase of  Rs. 17,500 from the card,” an officer told mid-day. The officer further said that he was acquitted by the court.

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Mumbai: NCP’s Nawab Malik on Wednesday referred to two videos related to NCB’s drugs seizure from a cruise liner, which have gone viral on October 2 and 3. In the video, one K P Gosavi is seen pulling up Aryan Khan (son of actor Shah Rukh Khan) to the NCB office, while in the second video, one Manish Bhanushali is seen forcibly escorting Arbaaz Merchant, another accused.

“Our information is Gosavi has a private business, while Bhanushali is associated with BJP. We have photographs of Bhanushali with all top BJP leaders, including ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis,” Malik said. He added, “We are keen to know what their role was in the operation. We have been told Gosavi and Bhanushali are not associated with NCB.”

Bhanushali confirmed he was present during NCB’s operation but claimed Malik had made “false allegations.” “I received information on October 1 that a drug party was to be held and I was there for updating information,” he said.

While Malik alleged “violation of procedure under NDPS Act”, Singh said in a statement, “Some allegations levelled against the organization are baseless and seen to be with malice and probable prejudice harboured in retaliation against earlier legal actions carried out by NCB. Our procedure will continue to be professionally and legally transparent and unbiased.”

On Gosavi and Bhanushali, he said, “They are associated with NCB in this operation as independent witnesses. In total, four follow-up seizures have been effected after the seizure from the cruise ship following due procedure.”

Malik said ever since they figured in the operation, the Facebook profiles of Gosavi and Bhanushali have been locked but claimed NCP had traced movements of Bhanushali. “On September 21 and 22, Bhanushali was in Gujarat to meet a few cabinet members. Incidentally, on September 21, drugs worth Rs 3,000 crore were seized at an Adani port. Again, on September 28, Bhanushali met a cabinet member in Gujarat. He was present in NCB’s operation in Mumbai on October 3. NCB and BJP must explain if Bhanushali has links with the drugs haul,” he said. Malik alleged the NCB action appeared aimed at defaming the MVA government and the film industry.

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The NCP on Wednesday produced evidence during a press meet, alleging that a false case has been registered against Aryan Khan and things are being manipulated by the NCB. Cabinet Minister and Chief Spokesperson of NCP, Nawab Malik said the two unknown men spotted escorting Aryan and Arbaz Merchant on October 2 are BJP men with direct links to senior party cadres. Responding to NCP’s allegations, the agency said the two men were independent witnesses and refused to answer any further questions regarding them.

During the press conference, Malik shared two videos in which one person is seen escorting Aryan to the NCB office, while the other was with Merchant. The person who was walking with Aryan had also clicked a selfie with him after his arrest.

Malik, who addressed the media on Wednesday, displayed a powerpoint presentation to show all the evidence he had to support his allegations. “After Aryan’s arrest, a selfie of an unknown person with him went viral and NCB said that he is not from the agency. We tracked the details of the person and found that he belongs to the BJP and claims to be a private detective,” Malik said.

Malik in his press briefing also alleged that since the Sushant Singh Rajput case, NCB has been targeting Bollywood. Even in Aryan’s case, nothing was seized at the cruise party, but planted on the accused at the NCB office. “The videos of seizure that the NCB shared with the press clearly show that they were shot in the NCB office. The entire operation was fake and carried out with the sole purpose of hogging publicity. Not a single gram of drug was seized from the arrested people. No panchnama was done. Some days ago, there was information that Shah Rukh Khan would be the next target. You are aware of the relations between the BJP and SRK,” he added.

Launching more attacks on the NCB, Malik said that after the case Wankhede spoke to the media on camera and said that 8-10 people had been arrested. “Why such a vague statement? When you’re investigating the case you should know the exact numbers. We want to know if there are 10 people because only eight have been shown as arrested. Who are the other two or have they been allowed to leave?”

The cabinet minister further said that they tracked the location of Bhanushali and found that he was in Ahmedabad in the last week of September meeting various politicians. During the same period drugs worth thousands of crores were seized at Adani port. “The agency must clarify if these two cases have any links,” said Malik.

Speaking to the press in Delhi, Bhanushali said, “I just gave information to the NCB as a responsible citizen, I was there in the capacity of a witness as requested by the NCB. My party (BJP) has nothing to do with the arrest. I don’t hold any position in the party; I am just a worker. Malik’s allegations are baseless. I will file a defamation case against him. My life is in danger, the government should provide security to me.”

When mid-day contacted Bhanushali, he said, “On October 1, I got information and shared it with the NCB immediately. An NCB officer told me that they had got similar information about the use of drugs at the cruise party. After the raid I had gone to the NCB office as a witness along with others. I had no idea that this would become a political issue. I risked my life and fulfilled my duty. Those who are taking and selling drugs should be punished.”

NCB Deputy Director General Gyaneshwar Singh along with Wankhede addressed the media on Wednesday. Singh read out a written statement about the details of the case and said that the allegations levelled against them were baseless. “There are several independent witnesses in the case as per the law,” Singh said. 

He further read the statement mentioning the names of a few witnesses, which includes that of Gosavi and Bhanushali, but didn't respond to the questions on how independent witnesses were escorting the accused and their connections with the ruling party. “Allegations levelled against the organisation are by people who were previously affected by NCB’s legal action. If anyone has any reservations, they can approach the court, we will respond,” he added. 

This year in January NCB arrested Malik’s son-in-law in a drugs case. “I have full faith in the judiciary and if he has done anything wrong, he should be punished, as no one is above the law. But those who are asking questions must read the chargesheet in my son-in-law’s case and ask questions to the NCB. He is out on bail and is fighting everything legally,” Malik said.

Meanwhile, responding to the allegations, Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis said it wasn’t difficult to understand Malik’s pain whenever the NCB came into the picture. “Do I need to say it? We all know it,” he said.