FIR registered over Facebook video blaming Bawankule for farmer suicides

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: An FIR has been registered against a person claiming to be a journalist for allegedly uploading a controversial Facebook video blaming state revenue minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule for farmer suicides. The complaint alleges that the video was an attempt to incite hatred and anger among the farming community against the minister.The MIDC Cidco police registered the case against the accused, identified as Rameshwar Shivaji Darekar, under Sections 352 (intentional insult), 353(2) (circulating reports containing false information to create enmity), and 356(2) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act.The complaint was filed by Pandurang Vitthalrao Mandkikar (56), the state president of BJP coaching classes' association and a resident of the N-4 Cidco area. According to the police, the incident occurred on Tuesday around 2 pm when Darekar allegedly uploaded the video containing "objectionable and inflammatory" remarks.In the clip, Darekar allegedly held Bawankule personally responsible for farmer suicides in the state, accusing him of driving farmers toward financial ruin. Citing the complaint, police stated that the remarks were provocative and intended to spread resentment across Maharashtra.The complainant further stated that the video not only targeted a high-ranking political leader but also sought to confuse the public regarding govt welfare schemes for farmers. He alleged that such misleading content could disturb public order and create deep societal divisions.Police inspector Somnath Jadhav said that Darekar has a documented criminal history. "The accused has been previously booked in several offences, including extortion. We are currently verifying the content of the video, and appropriate legal action will follow based on our findings," Jadhav said.Officials confirmed that the FIR was registered following a preliminary verification under the direction of senior officers. The investigation is currently being led by sub-inspector Kale.Police are also analysing the reach and impact of the video on social media to determine if additional charges are warranted.