FIR against NCP Navi Mumbai chief for alleged derogatory remark against Devendra Fadnavis’s wife

Vashi police registered an FIR against Ashok Gawade, NCP Navi Mumbai chief for allegedly using derogatory remarks against Amruta Fadnavis, wife of former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The FIR has been registered of molestation following a complaint by the women's cell of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP).

On February 25, while protesting against the arrest of the minister and senior NCP leader Nawab Malik by enforcement directorate (ED) at Shivaji Chowk in Vashi, Gawade, 64, had allegedly spoken derogatory remarks against Fadnavis. Around 80 to 90 NCP and Congress workers were present during the protest.

The complainant, Durga Dokh, president of BJP’s women cell of Navi Mumbai claimed that she saw Gawade was using derogatory words against Amruta Fadnavis in a news channel on February 25 evening.

Ramesh Chavan, senior police inspector from Vashi police station confirmed that an FIR has been registered against Gawade for molestation on February 26. “We have started the investigation. We will see the video of the event,” said Chavan. He added that the case has been registered under section 509 of IPC, uttering any word or making any gesture intended to insult the modesty of a woman.

Following the derogatory remark, the Navi Mumbai unit of BJP staged protests. Even Manda Mhatre, BJP’s Belapur MLA condemned the remark and demanded immediate apology else women would not allow him to live in Navi Mumbai. She also threatened a police complaint against Gawade. Later, Shashikant Shinde, NCP district president also condemned the remark.

When FPJ contacted Gawade, he said that he had not used any derogatory words and did not take her name. “Even they (BJP) think that I had spoken anything wrong, I had already apologized,” said Gawade, adding that registering an FIR is nothing but a political stunt.