Mumbai: A 23-year-old youth from Pune was arrested by the Mumbai police on Saturday for allegedly threatening Sanjay Raut, Rajya Sabha M.P. of the Shiv Sena (UBT). Raut received threat via text message on his mobile phone on Friday evening saying "If you meet in Delhi, will kill you with AK 47." The message further stated it was from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and warned the M.P. that he will meet the same fate as Sidhu Moosewala, Punjabi singer who was shot dead earlier by the gang. Raut filed a complaint with the Mumbai police following which teams were formed to trace the man.
According to deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Zone 7 Purushottam Karad, they started the inquiries after Sanjay Raut’s brother Sunil Raut, MLA, lodged a formal complaint with the Kanjurmarg Police on Saturday morning. Raut reportedly was also accused of being anti-Hindu.
Sanjay Raut reacts to the death threat
Reacting to the death threat, Sanjay Raut told the media that he is not scared as such attempts were done earlier too. He also said that he has informed the police about the death threat.
Speaking to the media, Sanjay Raut said, "I got a threat message and I have informed the police. I won't be scared. Similar attempts were made to carry an attack on me but what did the police do, what did the state's home minister do?"
Accused resident of Jalna, ran a hotel in Pune
The Mumbai Police managed to track the sender’s number which showed the location somewhere in Pune. Later, along with the Pune Police, they managed to track and detain a man, who later confessed to having sent the message. The man is identified as Rahul Uttam Talekar, a native of Jalna, who ran a hotel in Pune.
As per the preliminary probe, Talekar has no criminal background or political connections. “We have found no connections of the accused with any political party or Lawrence Bishnoi gang, as claimed by him in the text messages. He simply watched several YouTube videos about Bishnoi and other threat-related cases, and based on which he texted Mr. Raut,” said Karad. Apparently, Talekar got Raut's number from a website.
Accused was under influence of alcohol while sending messages
Police sources also revealed that Talekar, while sending the threat messages, was under the influence of alcohol. Offenses under IPC sections 506 (2) (criminal intimidation threat to cause death or grievous hurt) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) have been invoked against the accused.
After receiving the threat, Sanjay Raut attacked Shinde-Fadnavis government. He said that home minister Devendra Fadnavis makes fun of threats received by us. Fadnvais says it is a 'stunt'. The current government doesn't take threats received by opposition leaders seriously. All the security has been deployed for traitor group MLAs and MPs, he said in apparent reference to supporters of chief minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the official Shiv Sena.
Raut alleges police machinery used against him
Raut recalled his earlier threat, he said "a gang leader of Thane had threatened me few months ago and the name of CM's son is involved in the case. But Fadnvais didn't take it seriously. I have done my duty by informing the police." He alleged that the police machinery is being used to silence the opposition. Earlier, a threat was received by Bollywood actor Salman Khan stating that he will end up like Siddhu Moosewala. The accused Dhakad Ram who is a resident of Jodhpur Rajasthan was arrested and handed over to Mumbai Police.
