MUMBAI: Police have registered an FIR against former MP Nilesh Rane and others for gathering outside a court in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, in violation of the COVID-19 norms, and allegedly obstructing a public servant from discharging his duty, an official said on Wednesday.
Nilesh Rane, the son of Union minister Narayan Rane, and some other people on Tuesday assembled near the court, which had rejected the bail plea of his brother and state BJP MLA Nitesh Rane in a case, he said.
An argument had allegedly taken place between Nilesh Rane and police near the court.
Later, an FIR was registered on Tuesday evening at Oras police station against the former MP and others under IPC sections 186 (voluntarily obstructing any public servant in discharge of his functions), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), and the Disaster Management Act, the official said.
Nitesh Rane is facing an attempt to murder case in Sindhudurg, where a court on Tuesday denied bail to the legislator, saying his application for relief was "premature and not maintainable".
The MLA later moved the Bombay High Court to seek bail and in his plea claimed he had been implicated and that this was a classic case of political vendetta or rivalry at the behest of the ruling dispensation" against him and his father.
The plea further alleged that people belonging to opposition parties in Maharashtra and holding public positions are being "victimised" by the state government (comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) by way of registration of false criminal cases.