On Friday, September 30, the Mumbai police registered a case against Maharashtra’s former Deputy Chief Minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal and two of his aides for threatening to kill a man after the latter sent a video to the minister wherein he was heard insulting the Hindu god and goddesses.
The FIR was registered against the out-on-bail NCP leader and his aides at Chembur police station late on Friday night after a Chembur resident approached the police with a complaint against the NCP leader. He confirmed that he received the death threat on the phone after he sent the video to Chhagan Bhujbal.
The FIR was filed under section 506 of the IPC based on the phone calls and WhatsApp messages provided by the complainant.
“If you send the video to Bhujbal sahib, I will come home and shoot you, people from the state will kill you,” said the complainant while talking about the threat.
“Based on the complaint filed by the man, an offence under Sections 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) was registered against Bhujbal and two others,” the official said on Saturday.
“The complainant said he was threatened for forwarding two videos to Bhujbal, in which the latter allegedly spoke against Hindu religion,” he added.
Taking note of the issue, BJP MLA Ameet Satam criticised Bhujbal and requested an extensive investigation.
Tagging Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and DY CM Devendra Fadnavis, Satam Tweeted, “Tainted @ChhaganCBhujbal shud b further investigated fr his links with underworld & PFI other than corruption! Just now FIR regd against him by a businessman fr giving threats to kill ! Time 2 fix such anti national, anti social , corrupt leaders. @mieknathshinde @Dev_Fadnavis.”
Chhagan Bhujbal and his tainted past
It may be recalled that the NCP leader and the former Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal has had an extremely tainted past. In 2016, Bhujbal was arrested for several criminal offences including criminal misconduct, conspiracy, and cheating, among others.
Several series of raids were conducted at the properties owned by Bhujbal and his family across Maharashtra. The agency issued a provisional attachment order then, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), against the two assets which are owned by Bhujbal’s firm, which were estimated to be at Rs 55 crores.
It’s often said habits die hard. While serving in jail, it was alleged that Chhagan Bhujbal had extended favours to the prison doctor who in turn changed his medical papers without the knowledge of Arthur Road Jail CMO and recommended that he get admitted there for some other serious reason rather than a simple tooth treatment.
Maharashtra Minister of State for Home (Urban) Ranjit Patil had then ordered a Director General of Police (DGP) level probe into allegations of VIP treatment being accorded to some detainees in lieu of monetary considerations at Arthur Road Jail.