Maha Deputy CM Ajit Pawar calls Ketaki Chitale 'pervert' for alleged post on Sharad Pawar

A day after Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale was arrested for allegedly posting an objectionable post about Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday stated that such remarks against the veteran politician were unfortunate. 

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, an NCP leader and nephew of Sharad Pawar, told reporters, “This is Maharashtra's misfortune.The right to free speech and expression is protected under the Constitution. People must, however, consider what they say and the influence it has on society."

“NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who is 81-year-old, has been a public figure for 60 years of his tenure. Despite facing a lot of criticism and accusations, he never tried to make any uncharitable comments against anyone,” Ajit Pawar further added. 

Ajit Pawar called Chitale a ‘pervert’ and termed the comments made by her against Sharad Pawar as ‘unfortunate’.

Ketaki Chitale taken into custody over a derogatory post on NCP chief

Ketaki Chitale, a film and television actor in the Marathi Entertainment industry, and a 23-year-old pharmacy student Nikhil Bhamre were detained on Sunday for allegedly making offensive remarks on social media about NCP chief Sharad Pawar. 

Ketaki Chitale was detained by the Thane police officials on Saturday for allegedly sharing a derogatory post on her Facebook page. Nikhil Bhamre was later arrested by Nashik police officials for allegedly making an objectionable comment on Twitter against Sharad Pawar. 

However, the post shared by the Ketaki Chitale was in verse form and was allegedly written by someone else. The post had phrases like ‘hell is waiting’ and ‘you hate Brahmins’, which seemed like an direct attack on the NCP president Sharad Pawar. 

Five cases have been registered against the artiste at Bhoiwada Police Station under IPC sections 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 500 (defamation), 501 ( Printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory) and 504 (Whoever intentionally insults, and thereby gives provoca­tion to any person, intending or knowing it to be likely that such provocation will cause him to break the public peace,) 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

(With inputs from PTI)