Shiv Sena leader Kamlesh Kadam and five others, who were arrested for allegedly assaulting a retired Navy officer in Mumbai, have been granted bail from the Samta Bagar police station, police said on Saturday.
According to the police, the Supreme Court order empowering the police station to release an accused on bail from police station itself in matters where maximum punishment is seven years or less was exercised in granting bail to the six accused persons.
All the six accused were arrested by the Mumbai police overnight after a first information report was registered in connection with the incident on Friday.
Speaking to ANI on Friday, Madan Sharma, the former Navy officer had said that he was attacked after he forwarded a message on WhatsApp.
"Eight to 10 persons attacked and beat me up today after I received threatening calls for a message that I had forwarded. I have worked for the nation my entire life. A government like this should not exist," Sharma said.
Dr Sheela Sharma, daughter of the retired officer said that he was attacked by people from the Shiv Sena after the received threats for forwarding a message on Whatsapp.
"My father received threats for forwarding a message. A number of people from the Shiv Sena attacked him. Later, the police came to our residence and insisted on taking my father with them. We've registered an FIR," she said.
Reacting to the incident, Bharatiya Janata Party and opposition leader in Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis had expressed shock and appealed to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to take action against the accused.
Sharma also said that people should be allowed to exercise the fundamental right of freedom of expression and added that the government must step in to identify the primary source of the forwarded message.
"In our country, everyone has the freedom to express and Whatsapp is a medium to stay connected and share the news. The government should take steps to identify the source of a message, from where did it generate," he said speaking to ANI.
Talking about the incident, Sharma's daughter Dr Sheela said that hours after forwarding the message, her father received a phone call and added that 'a number of people from Shiv Sena attacked him'.
"Later, the police came to our residence and insisted on taking my father with them. We have registered an FIR."
The victim's son Sunny Sharma talked about the injuries received by his father and said, "My father has received injury on of his eyes. Doctors told me that recovery will take one month. I believe that citizens should be allowed to practice freedom of speech. They should be allowed to express their views."
