MUMBAI: Union minister for Medium, Small, Micro Enterprises (MSMEs) Narayan Rane was on Wednesday served a notice to present himself before the Kankavli police in Sindhdurg district. As Rane was not at his Kankavli residence, the police pasted the notice on the door of his house.
Rane in his reply to the police said being a Union minister he was busy with various work commitments over the next two days and if necessary, he was willing to record his statement via video conference.
The notice served under section 160 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code, asked the minister to share information on the whereabouts of BJP MLA Nitesh Rane (Rane’s son). The latter is an accused in attempt to murder case. Minister of state for home Shamburaj Desai on Monday said the Sindhdurg police is investigating Nitesh’s role in connection with an assault on Shiv Sena functionary Santosh Parab on December 18. Parab is a close associate of Sindhdurg District Co-operative Bank chairperson Satish Sawant who was defeated by Nitesh in the 2019 assembly elections.
Nitesh has filed an anticipatory bail application before the local magistrate’s court and the verdict is expected on Thursday.
In its notice to the Union minister, the police referred to a statement made by him in response to a question at a press conference in Kankavli on Tuesday wherein he had stated "was he a fool" to reveal the whereabouts of his son.
The notice said, based on newspaper reports where the statement has been widely publicised it appears he is aware of Nitesh’s whereabouts and therefore asked him to present his son before them after receiving the notice. It has also asked him to record his statement in connection with the case.
BJP leaders have condemned the notice to the Union minister. In a tweet BJP MLA Ashish Shelar said, "For no fault Union minister Narayan Rane is being directed by the police to present himself before them. The government praises Phule, Shahu, Ambedkar but behaves like the Taliban," he said.
In August, the Union minister was arrested for his statement that he would have slapped the chief minister as he did not know the country was celebrating its 75 year of independence.
