Shinde Sena functionary booked for spreading fake MNS letter | Mumbai news

MUMBAI: The Agripada police on Wednesday booked Rajesh Kusale, who was reportedly associated with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena earlier, for forging a letter claiming the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had extended support to Milind Deora, the Shiv Sena candidate from Worli assembly constituency, to prevent the division of Hindu votes. The MNS has fielded Sandeep Deshpande from Worli while Aaditya Thackeray is the sitting MLA and Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate.

Several residents of Worli received the letter, written in Marathi on the MNS letterhead and bearing the signature of MNS chief Raj Thackeray, through WhatsApp on Wednesday morning.

“The letter claimed that since Mahayuti has not fielded a candidate against Bala Nandgaonkar, the MNS nominee in Sewri assembly constituency, the MNS has decided to support the Shiv Sena candidate from Worli to return the favour and prevent the division of Hindu votes,” said a police officer from Agripada police station.

Ankur Patkar, an MNS leader from NM Joshi Marg, shared the letter with other MNS leaders and Sandeep Deshpande, its Worli candidate. When Deshpande spoke to Thackeray, it became clear that while no such letter was issued by the party, Kusale had disseminated it among voters via social media on Wednesday.

Based on a complaint filed by an MNS functionary, Kusale was booked under sections 336 (2) (forgery), 353 (2) (statements conducing to public mischief) and 171(1) (undue influence at elections) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.