• Source:JND
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Mumbai: A Shiv Sena leader from Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction has been detained for allegedly assaulting a man during a parking dispute near Mumbai. A short video from Sagar Nagar in Thane, Shinde’s stronghold, shows the leader brandishing a sword during the altercation.

According to the NDTV report, the accused, identified as Akash Bhalerao, heads a local unit of Shinde’s party. One of his associates, Suraj Hajare, was also reportedly involved in the incident.

According to the NDTV report, Bhalerao first threatened the victim and then physically attacked him, causing a head injury after the argument escalated.

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Both Bhalerao and Hajare are currently in police custody and have been taken to Wagle Estate Police Station for further action.

In a separate incident, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kiran Kale was arrested in Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar district on rape charges, sparking political uproar. The 21-year-old complainant from Karjat accused Kale of sexually assaulting her between 2023 and 2024, under the pretext of helping with her marital issues. Kale was taken into custody after midnight and booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), with police securing four days of custody for investigation.

The timing of Kale’s arrest has drawn sharp criticism from Shiv Sena (UBT), which alleges a political conspiracy. Just days earlier, Kale had exposed a ₹400-crore scam in civic road projects, allegedly involving NCP leaders and the Ahilyanagar Municipal Corporation. Party leaders, including Sanjay Raut, claimed the charges were fabricated to silence Kale, who had submitted documents indicating large-scale corruption in 776 road works and an IT park project.

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Opposition leaders have condemned the arrest, calling it an abuse of power. Sanjay Raut questioned whether dissent against the government is now being criminalized. NCP (SP) MP Nilesh Lanke also criticized the police for acting under political pressure. Meanwhile, NCP MLA Sangram Jagtap, whom Kale had accused of involvement in the alleged scam, denied all allegations, dismissing them as baseless and politically motivated ahead of local elections.