Navneet Rana & Ravi Rana arrested by Mumbai Police over Hanuman Chalisa faceoff in Mumbai

In a key political development, Mumbai Police has taken independent MLA Ravi Rana and his wife MP Navneet Rana to Khar Police station amid a massive faceoff over Hanuman Chalisa. Later, they were arrested. An FIR has been registered against them under section 153A of the Indian Penal Code. The complaint was registered by Shiv Sena workers.

Before being taken, Ravi Rana said that Police is trying to take them from their residence and added that he will not bow down. "Police are trying to take us from here. We will recite Hanuman Chalisa. You may file 10 cases against us. We will not bow down," Ravi Rana proclaimed.

His wife, Navneet Rana, questioned why the police is trespassing her residence. "No offence has been registered against the goons of Shiv Sena. We will continue our fight."

Rana couple drops Matoshree protest citing PM Modi's Sunday visit in state

Amid stiff resistance by the Shiv Sena, the Rana couple on Saturday gave up their plan of reciting Hanuman Chalisa outside 'Matoshree', the personal residence of Maharashtra Chief Minster Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai, citing that they do not want to disturb the law and order situation ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the city for an event. 

On Friday, the couple had stated that they were firm on their plan to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside 'Matoshree'. In the morning, Shiv Sena workers broke through the barricades and tried to enter the premises of their Khar residence. But the police brought the situation under control.

Addressing the press conference, Badnera MLA Ravi Rana said, "Leader of Opposition and former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to me and told me about Prime Minister Narendra Modi being honoured Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar award on Sunday. Therefore, in order to avoid any untoward incident a day before the programme today, we decided to withdraw our decision to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside the residence of CM Uddhav Thackeray." 

"As a CM, Fadnavis has brought huge development to Maharashtra, whereas Uddhav Thackeray has not done anything in the last two and half years of his tenure. If there is an iota of late Balasaheb Thackeray's thoughts left in Uddhav Thackeray, he should not distance himself from the Hindutva ideology," he added.