shiv Sena leader and Transport Minister Anil Parab said that the BJP is worried as "their pet parrot, in whom many lives are trapped, is now in the cage."
Activists and supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hold placards and shout slogans while protesting against the arrest of Indian television journalist Arnab Goswami, in Mumbai
Even as the Maharashtra government defended the arrest of Republic TV Managing Director and Chief Editor Arnab Goswami here on Wednesday, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organised vociferous protests across the state to condemn the action.
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Shiv Sena leader and Transport Minister Anil Parab said that the BJP is worried as "their pet parrot, in whom many lives are trapped, is now in the cage," while Sena MP and Spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that "if anybody has committed a crime, he would be punished".
Targeting the BJP, Parab sought to know whether Goswami is "their party member" and asked why the BJP leaders did not protest when another journalist and former head of Tehelka news Tarun Tejpal was arrested a few years ago.
Party MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wondered if there is "any law or press freedom" wherein journalists are allowed exemption from payments of their dues, referring to the suicide of architect Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik on May 5, 2018 in Raigad over alleged non-payment of dues by Goswami and others.
"What cases are applicable against defaulters who don't pay up as per the terms agreed upon? What if non-payment of dues leads to the aggrieved party taking the extreme step of taking own life and in the suicide note mention their reason?" she asked.
Chaturvedi sought to know whether journalists are allowed 'exemption' from the death probe in which they are explicitly named and whether the law should apply or not, just as Naik's widow Akshata and daughter Adnya had asked in their media briefing in Raigad.
Slamming Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his statements on the issue, state Congress Spokesperson Sachin Sawant said: "Democracy is shamed when the accused is not even called for recording his statement at the place of the incident."
"The (then) Devendra Fadnavis government ensured that police ignored the suicide note of Anvay Naik. Utterly shameful. The mother and daughter - who lost their near and dear one - were denied justice by the Fadnavis government, even though there is a clear mention of the accused (Goswami) in the suicide note, just because he's close to the BJP and drives its agenda," Sawant said.
On the other hand, adopting an aggressive stance, the BJP's Leader of Opposition (Council) Pravin Darekar and party Vice-President Kirit Somaiya rushed to Raigad this morning and organised a protest demonstration outside the Alibaug police station where Goswami was lodged amid tight security.
They carried banners, posters and raised slogans condemning the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for running a "vendetta campaign against a journalist who had exposed" the state regime boldly".
"Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, at the behest of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, has resorted to an Emergency-like situation. This is an attack on the freedom of press and we strongly oppose such tactics," Darekar said.
Protests were organised by BJP units in south Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and other parts of the state as well, burning effigies of the government at some places. Local police detained several activists but later released them.
On Wednesday afternoon, Goswami was presented by Raigad police before the Alibaug Magistrate's court where a hearing in the case is currently in progress.
A couple without a child after marriage and a couple in debt due to Covid-19 lockdown have become criminals in a very serious case. Two couples are arrested by the Charkop police in the kidnapping case of 1 year’s old girl for 30 thousand rupees. The case is solved by police in just a few hours after the complaint was received and they have handed over the one year old girl back to her parents today.
According to Charkop police officials, 30 years old Sunita Gurav along with her husband and children were sleeping in Bhumipark. In the wee hours of Tuesday when Sunita woke up she could not find her 1 years old daughter. Initially parents thought that the girl might have gone nearby so they kept searching for the child. Even after several hours when they did not find approached to the Charkop police station.
Cops immediately swung into action. As the crime was very serious in nature immediately three teams were made. The major hurdle was that the daughter was very small, she could not even speak. Taking the help of CCTV cameras from nearby the crime scene CCTV footage was being checked by different teams and they coordinated each other and they saw the accused in one of the footage.
Police inquired over dozens of people and they could recognize the accused who ran Vada Pav stall in the nearby locality “ Bhabrekar Nagar” the couple was caught in the CCTV was later identified as Rashmi Naik alias Rashmi Pawar, 29 and Raju Pawar, 36. Police then managed to get their mobile numbers and they analysed their call details record (CDR) and found their locations at Khar from where police arrested them. While questioning Raju and Rashmi revealed that they have sold this kid to a couple and police visited Khar and rescued the stolen kid."
The couple who purchased the kid are identified as Sachin Yelve, 40 and Supriya Yelve, 35. While interrogating all accused police came to know that Supriya was not able to conceive her pregnancy and one day she came in contact with Rashmi who told her that she will give her kid for Rs 30,000 and after negotiating they decided to sell the kid for Rs 15,000." Officer said.
According to police officials Sachin and Supriya Yelve both are childless after many years of marriage. They tried a lot but could get a child. Therefore they were looking to have a child. Meanwhile, couple Rashmi and Raju Pawar both were suffering financially due to Covid-19 lockdown. They were looking for quick money. Supriya and Rashmi knew each other. Rashmi told Supriya that she will get a child for her and demanded 30 thousand for the same. Initial payment of 15 thousand was already given by Supriya to Rashmi. Rashmi had done recce of the area and identified one year old child to kidnap the officer added.
Under the supervision of senior inspector V. Shinde, police inspector GS Nair, Prashant Langi detection officer and the staff rescued the child in few hours and handed back the child to her parents said DCP Vishal Thakur Zone XI.
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