Maharashtra Police have arrested one Twitter user Sunaina Holey, who goes by the ID @SunainaHoley after a complaint was filed against her by Rohan Chavhan, a leader of the Shiv Sena’s youth wing Yuva Sena. In his complaint, Chavhan wrote that Sunaina had posted objectionable content on the microblogging website against CM Uddhav Thackeray and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray.
The complaint was filed at Tulinj Police Station, Nalasopara. The user also runs a backup account @NidarNaari, and both these accounts were mentioned in the complaint.
Chavhan mentioned that Sunaina used extremely offensive against the Shiv Sena chief and his son to defame their image on social media. He urged police to take action against her under section 294 (using obscene language in public place), 499 (defamation), 506 (criminal intimidation) and other relevant sections of the IPC and Section 66A of the Information Act 2000 within 48 hours.
As per social media posts by several poeple, police have arrested Sunaina, and she will be presented in court today. OpIndia tried to reach out to police but could not get through. We shall update once we get more details.
Netizens raised voice against the arrest, #IStandWithSunaina trends on Twitter
Netizens criticized the arrest of Sunaina Holey and posted messages in her favour. Ramesh Solanki, ex-Sena worker posted, “Abusing Ganpati Baapa no action but if you question or say something abt MahaVikasAghadi leaders you will be booked and arrested.”
https://twitter.com/Rajput_Ramesh/status/1291085836071497728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/AparBharat/status/1291112340713332736?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwBJP leader Kirit Somaiya has offered help to Sunaina. He tweeted last night to her asking if Mumbai police have taken any action against her, and asked her to contact him.
https://twitter.com/KiritSomaiya/status/1291037285945708544?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwAttack on citizens’ right of free speech by Shiv Sainiks
This is not the first time Shiv Sena took action against citizens for posting something on social media. In April 2020, Shiv Sena urged police to take action against Shefali Vaidya and Sunaina Holey (the same user who was arrested yesterday) for raising voice against Tablighi Jamaat.
Maharashtra Police under Shiv-Sena NCP and Congress government also registered a case against a doctor for speaking against Jamaat in the same month. In December 2019, Shiv Sainiks beat up a man and shaved his head for posting against Uddhav Thackeray.