Mumbai

The Mumbai police on Monday registered a case against 25 individuals, including Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Amit Thackeray, in connection with a protest held yesterday. The action follows allegations of unlawful assembly and violation of public order norms.

Other notable leaders named in the FIR include MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande and Shiv Sena leaders Varun Sardesai and Mahesh Sawant.

The authorities have invoked several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the accused. The case has been registered under Section 189(2) (punishment for unlawful assembly), along with Sections 37(1), 37(3), and 135 of the BNS, which pertain to the disobedience of orders duly promulgated by a public servant and related offences.

The development comes after SS (UBT) leader Aaditya and MNS leader Amit on Sunday staged a protest outside Shivaji Park Police Station against the detention of protesters in Mumbai during a demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Both leaders are demanding the release of the detained protesters.

The protesters were demonstrating over alleged irregularities in the electoral process and demanding Kumar's resignation.

Speaking on the detention, Aaditya accused the BJP of being afraid of citizens who were taking to the streets to protest.

“The BJP government is scared of Indian people, Indian citizens. And that's why you see they've been arresting every Indian who's a patriot coming out on the streets. BJP is scared. Those who ran away from us and joined the BJP, all those traitors, what are they saying now? Where is Eknath Shinde hiding? Where are the six MPs who went with him hiding? Where are all their allies?” he said.

Mumbai Police have registered an FIR against the organisers of the joint morcha led by MNS and SS (UBT) on October 4.

The case was filed at Azad Maidan Police Station after the protest march was held without mandatory police clearance and allegedly in violation of prohibitory orders in force in South Mumbai.

The protesters marched towards the BMC headquarters against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged wrongdoings in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

READ MORE:Abdul Hamid: UGC-NET Arabic topper worked in farm, as Imam

On the other hand, around 1,000 protesters have been detained across the national capital so far while attempting to march towards Jantar Mantar for a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest, Delhi Police sources said on Saturday.