Mumbai: Rapper booked for 'defamatory' 50-khoka song against Shinde govt

Thane: The Ambernath police on Tuesday booked a singer from Aurangabad , Raj Mungase, for his alleged offensive rap against the alliance government of Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and the BJP. Mungase’s 1.08-minute video is a satire and mainly revolves around the allegations of how the erstwhile state government of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was toppled. The video was first uploaded on social media on March 25.

The complaint was lodged by Snehal Kamble, a member of the Yuva Sena Core committee, at Shivaji Nagar police station in Ambernath. 

Mungase's song was titled 'Chor|50 khokhe ekdum ok'

Mungase, an Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar) resident, posted the video captioned "Chor|50 khokhe ekdum ok" on March 25. With references to Surat, Guwahati, and Goa, the song is said to be critical of the present Shiv Sena-BJP government.

The khokha (crore) reference is thought to allude to the Thackeray Sena's claim that the rival Sena, headed by Chief Minister Shinde, took crores of rupees in order to destabilise the MVA government and form an alliance with the BJP in order to gain power.

Senior Police Inspector AS Bhagat said Kamble has alleged defamation of the current dispensation with MVA backing as the video has been shared by MVA leaders and workers on social media platforms.

Bhagat said Mungase has been booked under the Indian Penal Code sections 501 (printing or engraving defamatory matter), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), and 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes). He said, “A team is working on the case and is trying to trace the accused rapper. He would be summoned soon for questioning.”