Maharashtra: NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad booked for allegedly defying prohibitory orders

The city police has booked former Maharashtra cabinet minister and NCP MLA of Kalwa-Mumbra MLA Jitendra Awhad as well seven Thane Municipal Corporation corporators for allegedly defying prohibitory orders and leading a protest rally, police sources said on Sunday.

Police sub inspector A M Kolekar of the Naupada police station told PTI that protesters wearing black bands around their mouths had marched towards the Gadkari Rangayatan on Friday evening.

They were charged under Section 37(3) of the B P Act and Section 135 which was clamped in the city during the period.

Others who have been booked include NCP corporators including Nazeeb Mullah, Milind Patil, Ameet Sarayya, Manohar Salvi, Suhas Desai, Shannu Pathan and Mukund Kini.

Also booked were around 100 activists who had joined the protest rally.

In a related development, the city police had refused permission to a symposium organised by the Muslim Youth Forum about Shivaji Maharaj.

The police claimed that allowing such a symposium which dealt Shivaji's views on Muslims would give rise to law and order issues, due to which permission to the event was denied.

Organisers had never asked permission for the event which the police learnt about through the media.

Meanwhile, Awhad and others condemned the police for not allowing the symposium and termed it "crushing democratic rights"