Maharashtra: Man accused of defaming Eknath Shinde's family arrested

Police in Maharashtra's Thane city registered another case against the member of a political outfit, who was earlier booked for allegedly defaming Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's family, and arrested him, an official said.

According 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 in the Panch Pakhadi area. Following 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 said.

The 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 Shinde's family. The police then registered a case under Indian Penal Code section 500 (defamation).

Now, another offence has been registered against Jeya based on a complaint by an assistant municipal commissioner stating 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.

The official in his complaint alleged that through his social media post, the accused had defamed the civic body and its officials and compared it to Mughal rule, and hurt the feelings of the employees.

Another FIR under section 500 (defamation) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the arrested accused, the official said.