Latest news with #WalmikKarad
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Dismissed cop who made ‘Karad encounter' claim held from Delhi
Mumbai, Sacked Maharashtra police sub-inspector Ranjeet Kasle who had earlier claimed that he was offered a contract to eliminate Walmik Karad, key accused in the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh case, has been arrested from Delhi, an official said on Sunday. The crime branch of the Mumbai police took Kasle into custody from the national capital on Friday for allegedly spreading communal hatred, defaming public officials and sharing objectionable content on social media, he said. Kasle, who was posted in Beed district before his dismissal, was produced in a court, which remanded him in police custody till June 2 , the official said. A case was registered against Kasle following a complaint by a social activist from Bhandup in eastern Mumbai last month, he said. Kasle was booked for publishing or circulating false information, defamation, criminal actions intended to insult the modesty of a woman under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita , besides the IT Act, he said. In a recent Instagram post, Kasle had also made objectionable remarks against an OBC leader, he said. Cases have also been registered against Kasle in Beed district and Mumbai, the official said. Earlier, Kasle had levelled allegations against former Maharashtra cabinet minister Dhananjay Munde and his close aide Walmik Karad. Kasle had claimed that he was given a 'contract' to eliminate Karad in an encounter. In April, the Inspector General of Police of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Range dismissed Kasle under Article 311 of the Constitution. The article outlines an exception to the general rule requiring a disciplinary inquiry before dismissing, removing, or reducing the rank of a civil servant. Karad is a key accused in the Massajog village head Santosh Deshmukh murder case. Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted and tortured to death on December 9 last year apparently for attempting to stop an extortion bid targeting an energy company.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Crime Branch arrests dismissed Maharashtra cop Ranjit Kasle for objectionable remarks on women's modesty
MUMBAI: Dismissed sub-inspector Ranjit Kasle, who earlier claimed he was offered a contract to eliminate Walmik Karad, a key accused in the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh case, has landed in a fresh controversy. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The city crime branch arrested Kasle on Friday from Jaitpur in Delhi on charges of spreading communal hatred, defaming public officials, and disseminating obscene content through social media. Unit 3 of the crime branch arrested Kasle and booked him under BNS sections for publishing or circulating false information/rumours, imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration, defamation, criminal actions intended to insult a woman's modesty, and the Information Technology Act. Interestingly, Kasle is the same policeman who was dismissed from service under Article 311 last month after he made serious allegations against Dhananjay Munde, the former Maharashtra Cabinet Minister, and his close associate Walmik Karad. He also made serious allegations that he was given a contract to eliminate Karad in an encounter. Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted and tortured to death on December 9 last year, allegedly for attempting to stop an extortion bid targeting an energy company. The arrest came after Manisha Anil Tupe, a social and political activist from Bhandup, lodged a complaint with the city police alleging that Kasle had been regularly uploading controversial videos on Facebook, making serious and unverified allegations against elected representatives, including a sitting woman minister of the Maharashtra govt. In her complaint, she alleged that in a series of videos posted between May 27 and May 29, Kasle claimed that during his tenure at Marine Drive Police Station during the COVID-19 lockdown, he seized a Lamborghini allegedly carrying drugs. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He further insinuated that a Maharashtra Assembly identity card found in the vehicle belonged to a minister and that the case had links to Bollywood personalities and high-profile political figures. In his videos, he promised further 'exposés' involving other political leaders. He said he would be uploading the names of the people involved in follow-up videos. "Beyond defamation, the videos were laced with obscene language and inflammatory statements targeting members of the Maratha and OBC communities, raising serious concerns about incitement to communal discord. One particular video contained offensive remarks and caste-based insinuations, prompting swift legal action," said an official. Kasle is not new to controversy. Police records show he is a repeat offender with multiple prior cases against him in Ambajogai and Shivajinagar police stations under charges including cheating, criminal breach of trust, and offenses under the SC/ST Atrocities Act. A senior official from the Crime Branch said, 'The accused has been misusing social media to spread misinformation and incite hatred among communities. We are examining his entire online footprint and will take strict action as per law.'
