Nitesh Rane scoffs at Juhu restaurateur's claims, defends his perennial bad-boy image
Nitesh Rane
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Notch up one more on the controversy register for MLA Nitesh Rane, who has secured ad interim anticipatory bail from the sessions court in an extortion case against him by a Juhu restaurateur, Hitesh Keswani.
Keswani, who owns Estella on Juhu Tara Road, next to Aadish building, where Nitesh lives with his family, has complained that the ex-CM's son has been extorting Rs 10 lakh from him every month. And when he stopped paying Nitesh after five months, the latter sent his aides, Moin Shaikh (36) and Mohammed Ansari (36), on May 18 and forced the eatery to down shutters, Keswani alleged. Shaikh and Ansari were arrested that night.
Despite attempts, Keswani remained unavailable for comment. A person who identified himself as charge of the 'reservations' said no manager could be reached. "You can go ahead and write 'no comment' from our side," he added.
Also read - Mumbai: Restaurant owner accuses MLA Nitesh Rane of extortion, harassment
Estella lounge in Juhu. Pic/Sameer Markande
Nitesh, on the other hand, told mid-day that the perceptions against him had no justification, and he was no thug or goon. Edited excerpts:
Why were you extorting money from Estella owners?
There was no extortion. We had filed complaints about noise pollution against the restaurant; there was music being played late into the night, cars double parked outside, horns blaring… it was disturbing the residents. My father had written to the local police station, but no cognizance was taken of that. Imagine! A former chief minister writes a complaint letter and no cognizance!
Also read: Nitesh Rane stirs controversy by targetting Mumbai's Gujaratis again
You wanted a business deal in Estella…
Why would I want to strike a business deal in that way?
Also read - Mumbai: FIR against Nitesh Rane for getting rival bashed at Dadar station
Reports state that you said Keswani is your friend…
He is not my friend, but I do know him since we are in the same social circles.
It is not easy to make false allegations against the Rane family. Why would they accuse you of extortion?
You need to ask Estella partners this. Keswani's intentions need to be checked. I'm paying the price as I'm a known personality. The cops registered an FIR without even consulting me. My side of the story also needed to be heard. If I was indulging in extortion, why make a complaint after 5 months?
Also read: CBI wants to close firing case against Nitesh Rane
Yet, you cannot deny your record of controversies. A shooting reported by one Chintu Shaikh, your statements about cleansing Mumbai of Gujaratis are only some of them…
I was given a clean chit in the Shaikh case, but that has never been highlighted. My statement on Gujaratis was not political, it had a social angle. Anyway, that is a closed chapter. I am paying the price of coming from a certain family. The bad is highlighted, never the good.
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