FIR against Pankaja Munde's supporters for violation of COVID-19 norms

An FIR was registered on Wednesday against 42 persons including organizers of a public gathering at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national secretary Pankaja Munde's office at Worli in Central Mumbai on Tuesday for the violation of COVID-19-related restrictions, said Mumbai Police.

A case was registered under IPC sections 188 (disobedience of lawful order issued by a public servant) and 269 (act likely to spread infection) besides the Disaster Management Act against the organizers and participants of the gathering, an official said.

Munde's supporters had gathered at her office in Worli to show their support after her sister and MP Pritam Munde did not get a berth in the Union cabinet in the recent expansion.

Munde on Tuesday said that she has rejected the resignation of supporters who had stepped down from various local bodies in Maharashtra districts after being miffed over her sister Pritam Munde Khade not getting a ministerial berth in the recent Cabinet expansion.

Addressing her supporters, Pankaja Munde, BJP national secretary and a former state minister, dismissed reports that she was using 'pressure tactics', and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda were her leaders.