'Objectionable' online post about Sharad Pawar: Actor Ketaki Chitale remanded in police custody till May 18

A Thane court in Maharashtra on Sunday remanded Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale in police custody till May 18 following her arrest over allegedly sharing an objectionable post on social media about NCP chief Sharad Pawar, an official said. Chitale (29), a film and TV actress, was arrested by the Thane police on Saturday over a post she allegedly shared on her Facebook page.

She was on Sunday produced before a holiday court which remanded her in the police custody till May 18, a senior police official said.

Chitale and 23-year-old pharmacy student Nikhil Bhamre were arrested on Saturday for allegedly sharing objectionable social media posts about Pawar.


While Chitale was arrested by the Thane police, Bhamre was arrested in Nashik for allegedly making an objectionable comment on Twitter against Pawar, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra.

The post shared by Chitale, which was in verse form, was purportedly written by someone else. It contained phrases like "hell is waiting" and "you hate Brahmins", allegedly referring to the NCP president.

Chitale was booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 500 (defamation), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 505 (2) (making, publishing or circulating any statement, rumour or report promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes) and 153 A (spreading disharmony among people).