Pune: CM Devendra Fadnavis Says Police Will Act If Rahul Solapurkar's Statement Found Criminal

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the police will take action if they found anything incriminating in Marathi actor Rahul Solapurkar's controversial remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's 1666 escape from Agra Fort.

Pune Police have received an application seeking to lodge a complaint against Solapurkar.

"The police's stand is important in such cases, than that of the government. If there is any (incriminating) element, the police will take appropriate action, and if there isn't, police won't (take action)," the chief minister told reporters here.

Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, was replying to a question about reports that the police have not found any substance in the complaint. There has been no official statement from police so far on the issue.

Solapurkar stated in a podcast recently that Shivaji Maharaj, the 17th century Maratha warrior king, escaped from Agra Fort by bribing Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb's officials, and not by concealing himself in a basket of sweets as per the popular account.

Some organisations in the state took offence at the word "bribe", deeming it as insulting and sought action against the actor.