'Objectionable' online post about Pawar: Actor Ketaki Chitale remanded in police custody till May 18
Thane, May 15: A court here in Maharashtra on Sunday remanded Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale in police custody till May 18 following her arrest over allegedly sharing an objectionable post on social media about NCP chief Sharad Pawar, an official said.
Later, the Pune cyber police, who have also registered a case against Chitale, said they will seek the actor's custody after her remand with the Thane police ends.
Besides, an organisation in Pune demanded that Chitale be charged with treason over the alleged reference to Sant Tukaram in the post shared by her.
Chitale (29), a film and TV actress, was arrested by the Thane police on Saturday over a post she allegedly shared on her Facebook page.
She was on Sunday produced before a holiday court which remanded her in the Thane police custody till May 18, a senior police official said.
Later in the day, Pune cyber police inspector Dagadu Hake said, "We have booked Chitale and will seek her custody after her remand with the Thane police gets over."
Meanwhile, the Sant Tukaram Dehu Sansthan has written to Dehu police in Pune, demanding action against Chitale over the alleged reference to the 17th century poet in the post shared by the actor.
"Not just Sant Tukaram's name, but one should not use the name of any saint to gain such publicity. She (Chitale) should be booked under charges related to treason," Ajit More, the sansthan trustee, said while talking to reporters.
Chitale and 23-year-old pharmacy student Nikhil Bhamre were arrested on Saturday for allegedly sharing objectionable social media posts about Pawar.
While Chitale was arrested by the Thane police, Bhamre was arrested in Nashik for allegedly making an objectionable comment on Twitter against Pawar, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra.
The post shared by Chitale, which was in verse form, was purportedly written by someone else. It contained phrases like "hell is waiting" and "you hate Brahmins", allegedly referring to the NCP president.
Chitale was booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 500 (defamation), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 505 (2) (making, publishing or circulating any statement, rumour or report promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes) and 153 A (spreading disharmony among people).
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
