Fish thrown at govt official: Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane, others acquitted in 2017 case

Mumbai: A court in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg has acquitted BJP minister Nitesh Rane and 30 others in a 2017 case in which he was accused of throwing fish at a government official as well as abusing and threatening him.

As per the prosecution, Rane and around 100 others, on July 6 that year entered the Malvan office of assistant commissioner in the fisheries department Pradeep Vast to discuss issues related to the sector, abused him and then threw mackerel, which hit the latter on the cheek. Rane and others also allegedly threatened to burn fishing boats.

Rane and others were booked at the time under Indian Penal Code Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 341 (wrongful restraint), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 141 (unlawful assembly), 143 (being a member of an unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation).

In its order of May 21, details of which were made available on Sunday, the court of additional sessions judge (Sindhudurg) mentioned that Vast in his testimony did not state that Rane threw mackerel at him.

As per his evidence, persons accompanying Rane threw fish at the official, the court said, adding the informant is not sure who caused him hurt in this manner.

There is "no reliable evidence on record" to prove the accused obstructed the informant from discharging his official duties as public servant and caused hurt to him, the court said while observing that witnesses had not supported the prosecution's case with regards to other charges as well.

Rane and others were arrested at the time after a video clip of the alleged incident was aired on local news channels. He was granted bail on the same day.

Rane has been MLA from Kankavali in Sindhudurg district since 2014. He was inducted into the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet as a minister for the first time in December last year.