Mumbai: The Mumbai Police have registered a case against the organizers of the ‘Garjana Morcha’ (Roaring Rally), which was held without permission at Azad Maidan near the BMC headquarters. The protest, organized by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray, saw the participation of party workers from across Mumbai and the state. During the event, demands were raised to cancel the FIR, and Raj Thackeray—in his address—termed the FIR itself illegal; he also proposed a boycott of the elections. The Mumbai Police have registered the case under Sections 223, 189, and 190 of the BNS. Authorities stated that the case was filed due to the unlawful assembly of a crowd. The Azad Maidan Police have initiated an investigation into the matter, and the case has been registered against the organizers as well as other leaders. A case must be registered for an illegal protest: Nitesh Rane
Following the police case registered after the Azad Maidan protest, BJP leader and minister Nitesh Rane stated that filing a case for an unauthorized, illegal protest is mandatory because the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar prevails here. He alleged that the protest was held for “Vote Jihad.” Furthermore, in a vitriolic outburst, Rane noted that Aaditya Thackeray was absent from the protest organized by Uddhav and Raj Thackeray; claiming Aaditya knew action would be taken against him and might flee, Rane demanded that his passport be confiscated.

A case (No. 693/26) was registered at the Gamdevi Police Station, Mumbai, under Sections 303(2) and 3(5) of the BNS. The complainant was traveling by bus from the Colaba Hill bus stop towards Pedder Road, Mumbai, when an unidentified individual shoved him amidst the crowd and stole his OnePlus mobile phone. Following the investigation—which utilized technical analysis and information from confidential informants—an organized gang responsible for such crimes was traced. Arrests were made in Mankhurd and Shivaji Nagar, while the gang’s ringleader was apprehended in Rajasthan.

The arrested accused are: 1) Aftab Abad Ansari (26), 2) Hasan Abbas Shaikh (35), 3) Chand Mohammad Mohammad Sultan (53), 4) Imtiaz Imam Ali Shaikh (46), 5) Ajmi Akram Qureshi (32), 6) Swapnil Shankar Sonawane (29), and 7) Rajab Ali Mohammad Taqi Shaikh alias Chakna (32). Stolen mobile phones from 42 different brands—including the device involved in the aforementioned case—were recovered.

This successful operation was executed by a team comprising Deven Bharti, Joint Commissioner of Police Manoj Kumar Sharma, Additional Commissioner Shailesh Balkawade, Ragsudha R. (South Region 02), Prashant Mohite, and Rajiv Patil.

Mumbai, Oct 5: Shiv Sena(UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the CM labelled the Thackeray brothers “Ghajini” while downplaying their protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the alleged discrepancies and lack of transparency in the ongoing SIR process.

Expressing fury over the Chief Minister’s remarks, Raut claimed the ruling party has completely “lost its mental balance”, comparing the BJP’s current state to the panicked desperation of the British Empire prior to its downfall in 1942. Dismissing the ruling coalition’s attempts to downplay the massive turnout at the Garjana Morcha, Raut turned the “Ghajini” moniker back on the BJP leadership.

“Supreme Court Justice Ujwal Bhuyan voiced strong concerns about election integrity, noting how wrong it is when millions of citizens lose their right to vote. Will Devendra Fadnavis have the audacity to call a sitting Supreme Court judge ‘Ghajini’ too? Will Ashish Shelar claim the apex court is merely ‘jackal-howling’? The BJP’s mental equilibrium has collapsed under public fury,” he stated.

Suggesting that CM Fadnavis’s political career is on a downward trajectory, Raut quipped, “We try to give him energy by saying he has a future in Delhi, but he keeps damaging himself. He is stuck in the pipeline for a top national role. Once he understands that millions taking to the streets is a revolution rather than whining, only then will he reach the top.”

Commenting on BJP Minister Ashish Shelar’s remark dismissing the rally as kolhekui (jackal-howling), Raut retorted, “They are jackals themselves, which is why all they see is howling. It wasn’t a howl; it was a ‘Garjana’ (Roar) — the largest anti-election manipulation protest the country has seen.”

Highlighting the national momentum behind the opposition’s mobilisation, Raut claimed that central authorities are deeply rattled by the mounting public indignation over Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Raut pointed out that Delhi resembles a military camp, with heavy security forces, the BSF, and armed personnel deployed around the residences of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to block impending demonstrations.

Noting that legal stalwarts like Kapil Sibal have hit the streets, he asserted that opposition forces across the nation are uniting against failures of institutional integrity.

Raut announced that opposition parties from across India will assemble at Parliament’s Makar Dwar and march directly to the Election Commission office to submit hard evidence. He demanded that CEC Gyanesh Kumar step forward to answer the public rather than “remaining in hiding”.

The SS(UBT) leader did not spare Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde either. Calling out Deputy CM Shinde for travelling to Delhi amid internal state challenges, Raut said, “Maharashtra is reeling under drought and rising corruption, yet the Deputy Chief Minister sits on the lawn of the Home Minister’s house in Delhi like a paying guest. Announcing a list of drought-hit talukas and running off to Delhi is the height of shamelessness.”

Addressing turncoat MLAs, Raut emphasised that money cannot buy respect. “You may get Rs 50 crore or two police escort vehicles ahead and behind, but public sentiment cannot be bought. When students call out ‘gaddar’ (traitor), it is the genuine voice of the people.”