Former state housing minister and National Congress Party (NCP) MLA Jitendra Awhad, who was arrested on Friday, has been granted bail after being remanded to 14-day judicial custody today. Awhad was arrested by Thane’s Vartak Nagar police after he stopped the screening of a Marathi film.
After getting a bail, Jitendra Awhad said that his only fault was that he tried to oppose the damage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
“Our only fault was that we opposed damage that they tried to carry against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” he said while addressing a press conference after getting bail.
“Even if this govt hangs me, I’m not afraid. But we will not tolerate anything in the name of cinematic freedom, cinematic beauty,” he added.
After his arrest, police said that he was held in connection with a rioting case registered against him on charges of disrupting a late-night screening of the Marathi movie ‘Har Har Mahadev’ at Thane’s Viviana Mall multiplex on November 7.
“Yesterday I was called by senior police inspector of Vartak Nagar police station. I told them that I have to go to Mumbai, so I’ll carry the notice and leave. Later DCP came there and he told me that he will detain me. We have received such instructions. Let me tell you, that DCP and senior Police Inspector have zero role in the matter,” he said.
Jitendra Awhad alleged abuse of power
“Justice Dangre of Bombay HC said that no one shall be arrested within 72 hours of served notice. Section 7 of the criminal law amendment has been imposed on me only, not on others. For which maximum punishment is six months,” Jitendra Awhad added.
“The one who was assaulted has not even filed a complaint. Legality was not followed. The action was taken to show the entire Maharashtra that the example setting is done,” the NCP leader further alleged.
Earlier, Awhad called his arrest an “abuse of power” by the police.
In a post on Twitter, Awhad alleged he was called by the police to pick up a notice on Friday, but when he reached the station, the police detained him.
“This is an abuse of police power. I am ready to fight even if they hang me but, I will not plead guilty to what I did not do,” he tweeted in Marathi.
Awhad and his supporters are accused of forcefully stopping a late-night show of the Marathi movie ‘Har har Mahadev’ and creating a ruckus at the multiplex where the movie was being screened.
