Mumbai: Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, who is being probed in a money laundering case, filed a breach of privilege motion against actor Kangana Ranaut on Monday, for her alleged tweet that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had found a Pakistani credit card during its raids at his home. He has also made print, electronic and social media party to the motion for writing false stories based on Kangana’s tweet.
In his motion submitted to State Assembly Speaker Nana Patole, Sarnaik urged him to refer it to the privileges committee and take necessary action.
Sarnaik, who has had a spat with the actor in the past over her 'PoK' remark, told The Free Press Journal that he had submitted the notice after Kangana had allegedly tweeted that a Pakistani credit card was found when the probe agency raided his premises. "This false news has maligned me. My family and I have been cooperating with the ED investigation." The ED had raided his offices on November 24, he said.
Following Ranaut's tweet, there was fake news against him circulating on social media, Sarnaik alleged.
The Sena legislator clarified, "Nothing illegal has been found in my possession during the ED raids." He claimed that the allegations against him were baseless, incorrect and defamatory.
Meanwhile, Purvesh Sarnaik, Sarnaik's son did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate on Monday, when he was slated to be questioned. He is likely to be summoned again by the agency, which is probing a money laundering case, involving alleged misappropriations in a contract bagged by the security firm Tops Group from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
On December 12, Ranaut, without naming the Sena MLA, tweeted, "He had threatened to break my face when I had said Mumbai was feeling like POK. India recognises those who are staking everything for you and those who are taking everything from you. Where you place your faith there lies your future. India Pakistan na ban jaye sambhalo yaaron."
Sarnaik had, in the monsoon session held in September, filed a breach of privilege motion against Ranaut and Arnab Goswami for defaming Mumbai Police in connection with the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. He had said in the motion that Arnab had allegedly insulted the Maharashtra Assembly and was conducting a media trial. The motion against Kangana was for her remark comparing Mumbai to PoK (Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir).
(With inputs from Pratik Salunke)
