Mumbai: A day after the Bombay High Court rejected the plea of quashing the FIR of a person booked for abusive tweets against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and son Aaditya, Nagpur's Sitabuldi Police arrested Sameet Thakkar for allegedly posting derogatory remarks and objectionable posts on social media. The arrest was made on Saturday, which soon resulted in a social media outrage, demanding Thakkar's release.
According to police, Thakkar, a Nagpur resident, had tweeted objectionable posts about Thackerays and energy minister Nitin Raut on June 1, June 30 and July 1, where he had addressed Maharashtra's Chief Minister as ‘Aurangzeb’ and Aaditya (his) ‘Penguin beta’. When this post was seen by the complainant, a Mumbai-based advocate Dharmendra Mishra, who is also legal consultant for Shiv Sena, he approached VP Road police station on July 13.
Accordingly, police had booked Thakkar under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for obscenity (section 292), defamation (section 500) and section 67 of the Information Technology Act. According to the orders of the Bombay High Court, Thakkar was asked to be present on October 5 at VP Road police station. He appeared but soon left the police station giving an excuse of using the washroom.
Another police officer from Cyber police station was present, as a case was lodged against Thakkar there as well. As an act of contempt of court by fleeing and not submitting his electronics as stated, Thakkar was directed to re-appear before both VP Road Police station and BKC Cyber police station on October 16, but failed.
A similar complaint was lodged at Nagpur's Sitabuldi police station, wherein he was booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act. However, after the Bombay HC dismissed the petition of quashing the FIR, Thakkar was arrested on Saturday by Nagpur's Sitabuldi Police.
