News Analysis India

Tag: Dhananjay Munde

  • Maharashtra local bodies polls should not be held without OBC reservation, says NCP leader

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: NCP leader Dhananjay Munde has demanded that elections to the local municipal bodies in Maharashtra, scheduled next month, should not be held without providing reservation to the OBCs, and claimed that the state Backward Classes Commission’s report on quota for the community is ready.

    Elections to 92 Nagar Parishads and four Nagar Panchayats in Maharashtra will be held on August 18, the State Election Commission (SEC) announced on Friday.

    Elections will be held for local urban bodies in Pune, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Nashik, Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Jalna, Beed, Osmanabad, Latur, Amravati and Buldhana districts.

    In a tweet posted on Friday night, Munde, former minister for social justice, said, “The Backward Classes Commission set up by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government on OBC quota has prepared its report.

    It is our firm stand that without announcing the OBC reservation, elections to the civic bodies should not be held in the state.

    ” Next month’s elections to the municipal bodies are likely to be held without Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation while a related case is pending before the Supreme Court, sources in the SEC have said.

    The BJP had earlier opposed the holding of local body elections until the OBC quota, set aside by the Supreme Court in March last year, was restored.

    But the party is now in power in the state along with the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, whose rebellion against the Sena leadership triggered the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government last month.

    Earlier, state Congress chief Nana Patole also alleged that former chief minister Fadnavis and the Union government-led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi were responsible for OBCs losing political quota in local body elections.

    “There should be no elections until the reservation is restored,” he demanded.

    The SC had refused to restore OBC reservation for want of empirical data.

    A three-judge bench of the apex court had earlier said the reservation in favour of the OBCs in the local bodies in Maharashtra cannot exceed 50 per cent of the total seats reserved for the SCs, STs, and OBCs taken together.

    It had referred to the three conditions noted in the constitution bench verdict of 2010.

    The conditions included specifying the proportion of reservation required to be provisioned local body-wise in light of the recommendations of the commission so as not to fall foul of overbreadth and in any case, such reservation shall not exceed an aggregate of 50 per cent of the total seats reserved in favour of the SCs, STs, and OBCs taken together.

  • Woman who claims to be second wife of Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde gets bail

    By PTI

    BEED: A sessions court in Beed district on Tuesday granted bail to Karuna Sharma, who claims to be the second wife of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, in a case under the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

    Sharma walked out of jail sixteen days after she was arrested for allegedly hurling casteist slurs at some persons.

    She had announced a press conference at Parli in the district on September 5, stating that she was going to expose alleged misdeeds of Dhananjay Munde, an NCP leader.

    When Sharma reached the venue of the press conference, she ran into a group of women protesters.

    It was alleged that there was a heated argument during which she hurled casteist abuse.

    She was arrested before the press conference could start and booked under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

    The hearing on her bail plea was deferred twice; first on September 14 when the investigating officer did not produce some documents and the complainant was not present, and then again on September 18.

    On Tuesday, the Ambajogai tehsil sessions court granted bail to Sharma after hearing the plea the day before.

    She will have to produce a surety of Rs 25,000, said public prosecutor Ashok Kulkarni.

    The court also barred her from visiting Ambajogai and Parli tehsils except for trial, he added.

    A smiling Sharma refused to speak to reporters as she emerged out of Beed district jail and left for Mumbai.

  • Court defers hearing on bail plea of woman who claims to be Maha Minister Dhananjay Munde’s second wife

    By PTI

    BEED: A session courts on Tuesday postponed to September 18 the hearing on the bail plea of Karuna Sharma, a woman who claims to be the second wife of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde and currently in jail on criminal charges.

    The sessions court at Ambajogai tehsil in Beed district put off the hearing after the investigating officer of the case failed to produce relevant documents and also because the complainant was not present in the court.

    Sharma was arrested at Parli in Beed district on September 5 for allegedly attacking a man and hurling casteist abuses at a woman after she had announced she was going to hold a press conference to reveal something.

    Police also claimed to have seized a revolver from her car after the arrest.

    On September 6, Sharma was produced before the Ambajogai sessions court, which sent her to 14-day judicial custody.

    She later filed for bail.

    Ashok Kulkarni, public prosecutor, said the hearing on Sharma’s bail petition was slated for Tuesday.

    However, the investigating officer of the case could not produce relevant documents and the complainant also failed to appear before the court, he said, adding the hearing will now take place on September 18.

  • Police search house of woman who claims to be second wife of Maha minister Dhananjay Munde

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Police from Beed district on Wednesday conducted searches at the house of Karuna Sharma, a woman who claims to be a second wife of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, here, an official said.

    Sharma was arrested at Parli in central Maharashtra’s Beed district on Sunday for allegedly attacking a man and hurling casteist abuse after she had announced that she was going to hold a press conference to reveal something.

    Police also claimed to have seized a revolver from her car after the arrest.

    A special team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Sunil Jaaybhaye carried out searches at Sharma’s house on SV Road in suburban Santacruz on Wednesday morning, a local police official said, without giving more details.

  • Woman claiming to be Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde’s 2nd wife sent to jail for casteist slurs

    By PTI

    BEED: Karuna Sharma, who claims to be the second wife of Maharashtra NCP minister Dhananjay Munde and arrested by the police for allegedly hurling casteist abuses at a woman and on other charges, was on Monday produced before a Beed district court which sent her to 14-day judicial custody.

    Sharma, along with a man accompanying her, Arun More, was arrested on Sunday and booked under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and relevant sections of the IPC.

    They were produced before the sessions court in Ambajogai town of Beed district.

    While Sharma was sent to 14-day judicial custody, Arun More was remanded to one-day police custody by the court.

    The action against them was taken on a complaint lodged by one Vishakha Ghadge in connection with the incident that took place on Sunday, an official had said.

    Sharma had earlier announced on social media that she would hold a press conference at Parli in Beed district on Sunday, where she would reveal some information.

    As per her announcement, Sharma came to Parli in the afternoon.

    A heavy deployment of police was put in place around Shree Vaidyanath Mandir area, where she arrived, the official said.

    In the complaint, Ghadge said when she was standing in the area, Sharma came there and abused her over her caste.

    At that time, Arun More, who accompanied Sharma, attacked a man named Guddu Tamboli with a knife, Beed Superintendent of Police (SP) Raja Ramaswami had said, quoting the complaint.

    Based on the complaint, a case was registered against Sharma and More under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) and under the SC/ST Act.

    The Parli police had also claimed they recovered a revolver from Sharma’s car during a search on Sunday, following which her driver Dilip Pandit was arrested under the Arms Act.

    Addressing a press conference on Monday, Beed SP Ramaswami said acting to a separate complaint filed by Sharma, police have registered a case against 100 to 200 people for gathering near the venue of her press meet in violation of COVID-19 protocols that ban crowding in view of the pandemic.

    When Sharma arrived for her press conference, a large crowd, including women, had gathered near the venue, where police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order.

    Sharma’s car was stopped by the crowd in front of a temple, where some women had gathered to protest against her.

    “Don’t make false allegations against Dhananjay Munde, he is god for us,” shouted some of the women.

    At this point, Sharma allegedly hurled casteist abuses at the woman, while Arun More stabbed the man named Guddu Tamboli, the police have aid.

    Based on medical certificate issued by doctors, attempt to murder and other sections were invoked against Sharma and Arun More, said the SP.

  • Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde contracts COVID-19 for second time

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde said he had tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday, adding that his health was fine.

    This is the second time the state minister for social justice is contracting COVID-19, the first being in June last year.

  • Trouble for Dhananjay Munde again as woman accuses Maharashtra minister of confining their kids in his bungalow

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: A woman who had been in a relationship with Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde has submitted a police complaint, alleging he has kept their two children in his bungalow in Mumbai since the last three months and was not allowing her to meet or speak to them.

    In a statement, Munde on Wednesday said there is no substance in the allegations levelled against him by the woman, with whom he has two children, and claimed the charges were aimed at defaming him.

    The woman wrote a purported Facebook post about the issue on her birthday, which was on Tuesday, and has threatened to go on a hunger strike from February 20 if the police did not intervene in the matter.

    In the post, the woman has claimed the senior NCP leader (45) has kept their children hidden for three months in his official bungalow in south Mumbai.

    “He is not even allowing me to meet or talk to them. Even Ravana would not have done this much torture,” she said.

    In the written complaint, submitted to the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s office, the woman has claimed her 14- year-old daughter is not safe.

    There is no substance in the allegations made with the only aim of defaming (me), Munde said in the statement.

    The social justice minister had last month said that he was in a mutual consensual relationship with the woman since 2003 and the same was known to his family, wife and friends.

    Munde had said he has two children — a son and daughter — from his mutual consensual relationship with the woman.

    ALSO READ | Sharad Pawar says stand vindicated as rape complaint against Dhananjay Munde withdrawn

    The NCP leader had said he approached the Bombay High Court against the woman after she allegedly published on social media too personal content relating to him to defame him.

    The minister had said the high court has passed order preventing publication of such content.

    Late last month, Munde and the woman informed the HC that they have decided to settle their disputes before a mediator.

    On Wednesday, Munde said the court has appointed former Madras High Court Chief Justice Vijaya Tahilramani as the mediator.

    He said two mediation meetings have already been held.

    The next mediation meeting is to be held on February 13 and decision is expected then on disputes relating to the children and other issues,Munde said.

    The complaint (made by the woman) about custody of children at a time when the mediation process is still on creates doubts about the motive.

    Basically, to publicly make the demand which is being discussed in the mediation shows the opposition party has no interest in the judicial process and the motive is to defame one through media trial, the NCP leader added.

    Last month, the woman’s sister had accused the minister of rape, but later withdrew her police complaint.

    Munde had dismissed the rape charge as “false” and one aimed at “blackmailing” him.

  • Sharad Pawar says stand vindicated as rape complaint against Dhananjay Munde withdrawn

    By Express News Service
    MUMBAI: The Mumbai-based woman who had accused Maharashtra cabinet minister Dhananjay Munde of rape has withdrawn her police complaint, an official said on Friday. The woman told the investigating officer that she is taking back the complaint against Munde, but did not cite any reason, the police official said. The police asked the complainant to submit a notorised affidavit, he said.

    The woman had approached the police with the complaint against the Social Justice Minister (45) on January 11, accusing him  of rape and sexual assault on pretext of marriage in 2006. The police had started an inquiry and the woman had visited the Oshiwara police station to record her statement.

    Munde, a senior NCP leader from Beed district, has denied the rape charges and dubbed them has an attempt to blackmail him. The minister, however, has admitted that he was in a relationship with the complainant woman’s sister.

    As the complaint came to light, the opposition BJP demanded Munde’s resignation from the cabinet.     

    However, the NCP ruled out any action against Munde till the charges were proved. Reacting to the development, NCP president Sharad Pawar said it seems the party’s decision to wait for the truth to come out after rape allegations were levelled against Munde was right.

    Addressing reporters here, Pawar also alleged efforts are on from Delhi to Mumbai to bring down the Aghadi. “I got to read the news about (the woman) withdrawing the complaint. I dont know the details.

    But after discussion with Munde and officials, we felt prima facie that the truth needs to be verified first,” he said. The NCP chief, who had initially termed the rape charges as serious, said the party pitched for a detailed probe into the allegations after it saw some documents in connection with the episode. And the turn of events has vindicated our stand, the senior leader said.

  • Woman withdraws rape complaint against Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde

    By Express News Service
    MUMBAI: The Mumbai-based woman who had accused Maharashtra cabinet minister Dhananjay Munde of rape has withdrawn her police complaint.

    The complainant Renu Sharma told the investigating officer that she is taking back the complaint against Munde. Later, in a social media post, she said she had registered the sexual exploitation complaint against Munde after her sister’s strained relation with Munde.

    “That anguished me. I was also under stress when I filed the case. The Opposition party then started misusing this case to settle political scores against Munde. I felt that I am being used by political leaders. It was a conspiracy and I do not want to be a part of this,” said Renu Sharma.

    Sharma further stated that she did not want to damage anyone’s reputation and therefore decided to withdraw the case against the Munde. “Now, I have no complaint and I am withdrawing the sexual harassment case against Munde. I did not have any objectionable videos and photographs with him. I have taken this decision with my full consciousness and without any pressure,” said Renu Sharma in her statement submitted to the Mumbai police.

    NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that his party was right when it decided not to take any extreme decision against Dhananjay Munde in connection with the sexual exploitation case. “I also got the news that the woman, who had filed the case against Munde, has decided to withdraw it. However, the police will continue to probe the case and submit the report,” Pawar said.

    Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that the truth in the Dhananjay Munde case has come out. “There was a deliberate attempt to malign the image of the NCP and its minister. I am happy that finally, the truth has prevailed. Because of these allegations, all political leaders are seen through the same prism. This is very unfortunate. There are some people who, without understanding the ground reality of the issue, demanded the resignation of Munde and even protested against him. This is the wrong practice by the  Opposition,” he said.

    BJP MLA and former minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said that the NCP might have used their power to pressure Renu Sharma to withdraw the case against their minister. Chitra Wagh, a senior BJP leader Renu Sharma should now be booked for filing a false case to damage Munde’s reputation. 

  • BJP women’s wing protests against rape accused Dhananjay Munde in Pune

    By PTI
    PUNE: The women’s wing of BJP on Monday protested in Pune demanding the resignation of Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde who has been accused of rape. Munde has refuted the allegation and has called it a blackmailing attempt, and his party has backed him saying there was no need for him to quit till the police probe into the matter is completed.

    The protesting BJP workers late submitted a memorandum to district collector Rajesh Deshmukh seeking that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray drop Munde from the cabinet, said BJP mahila morcha president Uma Khapre.