While Rane belongs to the BJP, Jain is an independent legislator who supports the party.
The Mira-Bhayander Vasai-Virar police last month booked Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh and Naresh Nile for allegedly making hate speech on Mira Road on February 25.
AdvertisementThe court had asked the police commissioners of Mumbai and Mira-Bhayander Vasai-Virar to decide whether FIRs for hate speech could be registered against the leaders concerned.
The Mira Bhayander police registered a case against Rane and Geeta Jain under IPC sections 153A, 153B, 504 and 506.
He noted that the police had also registered 13 complaints in relation to the violence in Mira Road in January.
The Maharashtra government on Tuesday informed the Bombay High Court that FIRs had been registered over speeches made by two MLAs, Nitesh Rane and Geeta Jain, during and after communal clashes that broke out in the Naya Nagar area of Mira Road in Thane district in January.
While Rane belongs to the BJP, Jain is an independent legislator who supports the party.
The Mira-Bhayander Vasai-Virar police last month booked Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh and Naresh Nile for allegedly making hate speech on Mira Road on February 25.
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The court had asked the police commissioners of Mumbai and Mira-Bhayander Vasai-Virar to decide whether FIRs for hate speech could be registered against the leaders concerned. The state lawyer submitted that the police commissioners were convinced that offences were made out against the leaders.
A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Manjusha A Deshpande was hearing a plea that sought registration of FIRs against the three MLAs for alleged hate speech. Five petitioners, including two victims of the violence, said they were prompted to approach the court as the police had failed to register cases against the leaders on their own despite Supreme Court directions.
Appearing for the petitioners, senior advocate Gayatri Singh as well as advocates Vijay Hiremath and Hamza Lakdawala had argued that the MLAs’ speeches clearly showed that an offence of hate speech was made out.
The petitioners sought registration of FIRs under sections 153 (provocation with intent to cause riots), 153A, 153B (promoting enmity between groups), 295A (defiling place of worship), 504 and 505 (statements breaking public peace, causing mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.
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On April 15, the bench said that while it could not stop a public rally from being held on Ram Navami (April 17) in the Malwani area of the city, it had asked police to take appropriate action if there was any breach, irrespective of which political party the speaker belonged to.
Public Prosecutor Hiten Venegaonkar informed the bench on Tuesday that the police commissioners had perused the content of the political leaders’ speeches and that four FIRs under sections 153A and 153B and other IPC provisions had been registered over speeches made by the leaders in the Mira Bhayander, Mankhurd-Govandi, Ghatkopar and Malwani areas.
Venegaonkar submitted that an FIR was registered at the Mankhurd police station against Nitesh Rane under IPC section 153, while the Ghatkopar police booked him and one Subhash Ahir under sections 153A and 506. The Mira Bhayander police registered a case against Rane and Geeta Jain under IPC sections 153A, 153B, 504 and 506. He added that the Malvani police had booked Rane and one Bhagwan Thakur under similar IPC provisions.
After the petitioners argued that section 295A (defiling place of worship) was not invoked against the leaders, Venegaonkar said the police commissioners would take a call on it and file an affidavit. He noted that the police had also registered 13 complaints in relation to the violence in Mira Road in January.
The court will hear the plea next on June 19.
