Court grants bail to Thane man held for defaming CM Eknath Shinde's family

A court in Maharashtras Thane city has granted bail to a political party worker who was arrested for allegedly trying to defame the family members of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reported news agency PTIAccording to the police Ajay Jeya of Dharmarajya Paksha made defamatory remarks after the Thane Municipal Corporation TMC on May 25 pulled down the extended portion of a sweet shop reported PTIJeya claimed on social media that the action was taken after a relative of the CM had a tiff at the shop police had saidIn the bail order First Class Judicial Magistrate M D Nanaware observed that Jeya was arrested on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday after being booked under Indian Penal Code sections 500 defamation 501 printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory and 5052 promoting feeling of enmity between groups reported PTIOffences punishable under sections 500 and 501 are bailable said the court The judge also said that prima facie the ingredient of offence punishable under section 5052 of the IPC are not attracted here as it has been alleged that Jeya tried to promote hatred against the civic bodyThe court ordered the release of Jeya who was represented by advocate Sanjay Kanhere on furnishing a personal bond and surety bond of Rs 15000The Thane city police in Maharashtra on Tuesday registered another case against the member of a political outfit who was earlier booked for allegedly defaming Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shindes family The suspect was arrested after a case was registered against him by the Thane policeAccording to the police the suspect identified as Ajay Jeya of Dharmarajya Paksha had allegedly made defamatory remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shindes family after the Thane Municipal Corporation TMC pulled down an extended portion of a sweet shop in the Panch Pakhadi area The action was taken by the Thane Municipal Corporation on on May 25 Following the action the suspect had allegedly made remarks against CM Shindes family on social media platformFollowing the demolition Jeya claimed on social media that the action was taken after a relative of the chief minister had a tiff at the shop the official told the PTIThe shop owner on Monday lodged a complaint with the Naupada police saying that no such incident ever occurred He said similar action was taken against other shops in the area and that Jeya was trying to defame Shindes familyThe police had then registered a case under Indian Penal Code section 500 defamation the official saidMeanwhile an another offence was been registered against Jeya based on a complaint by an assistant municipal commissioner of the Thane Municipal Corporation In his complaint the officials said that as a part of the drive to remove encroachments the civic staff had removed encroachments from the shop in question and other shops as well that day according to the PTIThe civic official in his complaint alleged that through his social media post the suspect had defamed the civic body and its officials and compared it to Mughal rule and hurt the feelings of the employees of the civic body reported the PTI on TuesdayWith inputs from PTI