Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale, who has been in jail for more than a month has got bail from a court in Thane. The actress would, however, continue to remain in jail as she has 20 more cases against her in connection with the same post on Facebook.

Ketaki Chitale was arrested on 14th May 2022 for sharing an allegedly derogatory post on Facebook against NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. 

According to news agency ANI, the Thane court granted bail to the Marathi actor in a case registered against her under the SC/ST Act. She has been granted bail on a surety amount of Rs 25,000. However, she’ll remain in jail as she is accused in another case in which the bail hearing is on June 21.

The case in which the 29-year-old actor was granted bail was filed against her under the SC/ST Act. The case was registered against Chitale on March 3, 2020, with the Rabale police based on a complaint filed by a final-year law student then for posting allegedly derogatory comments on Buddhism. The police had arrested the actor under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The 29-year-old actress was arrested on May 15 for a Facebook post where she had shared a verse, allegedly written on Pawar, calling him a person who hates Brahmins. Soon after the post, the actress got several cases registered against her under charges of defamation and promoting enmity between 2 groups. A case under the SC-ST Act has also been filed against her. The cases have been filed in multiple police stations in Mumbai and its suburbs. The aforementioned 2020 case 2020 under the SC-ST Act had also been opened against her.

Ketaki Chitale was charged under 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), 153 A (spreading disharmony among people), of the Indian Penal Code. 

Ketaki Chitale argued on her own in court without a lawyer to present her case. She was produced before the holiday court on Sunday 15th May 2022, in the morning itself. The police had informed the court that custody was required to further investigate the so-called objectionable post.

The Thane court in Maharashtra had sent Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale to police custody till 18th May 2022.  A week later, on May 27, the court rejected the bail plea and extended her judicial custody of Chitale for another 14 days. As per reports, the Magistrate court had stated that bail cannot be granted to the actress because the alleged ‘crime’ of sharing a social media post against NCP chief Sharad Pawar is of serious nature.

Support for Ketaki Chitale

References:

opindia.com