COVID-19 norms violation: BJP leader gets summons

Mumbai, Feb 17: Mumbai Police have issued summons to former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, asking him to appear before them in connection with an FIR registered against him for alleged violation of COVID-19 norms, an official said on Thursday, PTI reported.

The FIR was registered against Somaiya at suburban Santacruz police station in September last year under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).

The Santacruz police on Monday summoned BJP leader Somaiya to appear before them within 15 days with his written statement, or else legal action will be taken against him.

Somaiya on Thursday tweeted the summons copy and said the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government/police had registered one more case against him for visiting state minister Chhagan Bhujbal's "benami" property in Santacruz.

An official from the Santacruz police station confirmed that Somaiya has been summoned in connection with the FIR registered against him last year after he visited Bhujbal's bungalow in Hasnabad lane of Santacruz (West).

Somaiya had on Wednesday alleged that Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut during a recent press conference deliberately referred to the old controversy over "19 bungalows" in Korlai village of Raigad district as he bore a "grudge" against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his family members for not backing him when certain allegations were raised against him.

The BJP leader claimed it was a known fact that Rashmi Thackeray, wife of Uddhav Thackeray who also heads the Shiv Sena, had tendered a written "apology" to the Korlai gram panchayat in the Raigad district in connection with the "19 bungalows" controversy.

On Thursday, Somaiya tweeted the copy a letter dated May 23, 2019, claiming that Rashmi Thackeray had submitted a written application to transfer some houses in Raigad in her name.

He claimed that information received under the Right to Information (RTI) Act reveals that "Rashmi Uddhav Thackeray and Manisha Ravindra Waikar in January and May 2019 wrote letters to Korlai village sarpanch Hemant Shantaram Patil, requesting transfer of houses with numbers from 787 to 805 in their name".

Somaiya further claimed that the information received under the RTI also mentioned that "Thackeray and Waikar purchased the land from Anvay Madhukar Naik on 30-4-2014".

Manisha Waikar is the wife of Shiv Sena MLA Ravindra Waikar.

Rashmi Thackeray was unavailable for comments in the matter.

In May 2018, interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik were found dead at their bungalow in Alibaug (Raigad district). According to police, Anvay Naik had allegedly committed suicide.

On Tuesday, Sanjay Raut had launched a personal attack against Somaiya, who has been raising a slew of allegations against the Shiv Sena brass and other leaders of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi in the state.

Raut had alleged that the BJP leader's son, Neil Somaiya, had links with Rakesh Wadhwan, an accused in the PMC bank fraud and demanded the arrest of the father-son duo.

Denying the allegations, Kirit Somaiya had said he was ready to face any investigation.

(PTI)