Narayan Rane claimed his son was not there at the time of the incident (File)
Amid speculation about BJP MLA Nitesh Rane's possible arrest in an attempt to murder case, his father and Union Minister Narayan Rane today claimed his son has been falsely implicated in the case and in Maharashtra government is misusing its power.
Addressing a news conference in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, Narayan Rane said this was being done ahead of the Sindhudurg District Cooperative Bank elections.
A win in the Cooperative Bank polls will help "cover up" the past irregularities committed by leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (comprising the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party, and Congress) in the Cooperative Bank, the Union minister alleged.
He questioned why the top police brass, including the Director General of the Police, has been camping in the district.
"Nitesh is being falsely implicated in a case. Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code has been invoked in a case where the complainant had bruises. Nitesh was not there when the incident occurred," Narayan Rane told reporters.
"This is being done ahead of the Sindhudurg District Cooperative Bank elections. The state government is misusing its power," he claimed.
Nitesh Rane, who represents the Kankavli Assembly seat in the Sindhudurg district of the Konkan region, had filed an anticipatory bail application in the attempt to murder case to seek relief from any coercive action against him. The complaint is linked to the alleged attack on Santosh Parab.
Notably, Shiv Sena leaders recently demanded that MLA Nitesh Rane be suspended over his alleged inappropriate behaviour towards state Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray.
Raising the issue in the state Assembly on Monday, Sena MLA Suhas Kande had alleged that last week Nitesh Rane, while sitting in the Vidhan Bhavan premises, made catcalls while looking towards Aaditya Thackeray, who was going inside the building.
Asked about Nitesh Rane's behaviour, Narayan Rane said his son did not do anything in the House.
He did a very good job as an MLA in the House which has irked the MVA government, the Union minister claimed.
"We are not the ones who are going to be afraid of such actions," he said.
Narayan Rane quit the Shiv Sena in 2005. The Konkan region has seen intense rivalry between him and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for some time now.