Union minister Narayan Rane, arrested on Tuesday over his remarks about slapping Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for what he called Mr Thackeray's "ignorance of the year India won Independence", has been granted bail by a court in Maharashtra's Mahad.
Mr Rane was taken into custody by police in coastal Ratnagiri district, where he is travelling as part of the Jan Ashirwad Yatra, an official said.
Mr Rane, who joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet in July as Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, is the first Union Minister to be arrested in 20 years.
Mr Rane had claimed Mr Thackeray forgot the year of independence during his August 15 address and had to check with his aides mid-speech.
"It is shameful that the Chief Minister does not know the year of independence. He leaned back to ask about the count of years of independence during his speech. Had I been there, I would have given him a tight slap," Mr Rane said in the public meeting at Raigad.
Here are the LIVE updates on Narayan Rane's Arrest:
Narayan Rane will have to appear before the police on August 31 and September 13. The Union Minister has been granted bail on a surety of Rs 15,000. If a voice sample is needed, the minister will have to be given a notice seven days in advance, Narayan Rane's lawyer Rajendra Shirodkar told NDTV.
Narayan Rane has been granted bail by the court in Mahad. His lawyer cited Mr Rane's health conditions and that Mr Rane is an Union Minister in the bail plea. Notice was not given before Narayan Rane was arrested and whatever sections were imposed were politically motivated sections, his lawyer further argued.
"I don't support Narayan Rane's statement. But if he's arrested or arrest warrant is issued against him for remarks against Chief Minister, what's happening to their leaders who comment against Governor, a constitutional functionary, almost daily?" Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil told news agency ANI.
"Maharashtra government's decision to arrest Narayan Rane against constitutional values," news agency PTI quoted BJP chief JP Nadda as saying. "We won't be cowed down by such actions," Mr Nadda added.
Union Minister Narayan Rane was arrested shortly after a court refused his request for an urgent hearing of his petition to cancel the FIRs against him over his comments on slapping Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Mr Rane had challenged FIRs or First Information Reports against him in at least three cities and had sought protection from arrest. He had also asked the Bombay High Court to pass an interim order to protect him from any action.
The BJP distanced itself from Narayan Rane's controversial remarks about slapping Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, but at the same time backed the Union Minister today.
While party chief JP Nadda said the minister's arrest was a "violation of constitutional values", the state's leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis spoke of "Taliban-like governance". Read Here.
Union Minister Narayan Rane was arrested today over his comment on slapping Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for what he called his "ignorance of the year India won Independence". Mr Rane was arrested while he was having a meal. A crowd of supporters is seen trying to shield him.