Sunil Raut booked for calling rival woman candidate ‘Bakri’

Sunil Raut made the alleged remarks at a recent election rally, during which he referred to Karanje as ‘Bakri’ (goat) who should be sacrificed on November 20 (the polling day). “When preparations for the Vidhan Sabha polls began, I was curious to know who would be my rival in Vikhroli. Initially, no one dared to stand against me. But now a ‘bakri’ has been fielded against me. This goat will be slaughtered on November 20,” he said addressing a group of Muslim voters from his constituency.

The incident took place in Tagore Nagar, Vikhroli East on October 27 and an FIR was registered on November 4. The case was registered after Karanje lodged a complaint at the Vikhroli police station. The police have invoked Section 79, 351(2) and 356(2) of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita against Sunil Raut.

Hitting back at Raut, Shinde Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC said, “We are not Bakris, we are not maals, we are the betis of Maharashtra and we will give a befitting answer on November 20.”

Defending his brother, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that they were not afraid as “fake cases will be registered against us during the elections.”

“We are not afraid of all this. We will settle their account completely after November 23,” he said.

This is the second FIR filed in Mumbai against a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader ahead of the 2024 state elections. Last week, an FIR was filed against Sena UBT MP Arvind Sawant after a controversial remark against Shaina NC, who is contesting as a Shinde Sena candidate from the Mumbaidevi constituency.

While campaigning for Congress candidate Amin Patel, Sawant referred to Shaina NC as an ‘imported maal.’ After Shaina’s complaint, the Nagpada police filed an FIR against Sawant, who later apologised for his remark.