A 41-year-old man has been arrested by cyber police for allegedly posting abusive messages about Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on X (formerly Twitter), an official told news agency PTI on Thursday.

According to PTI, the accused was identified as Kailas Madhukar Kapdi, a resident of Dadar in Central Mumbai.

Kapdi had allegedly posted abusive messages about Shinde from his Twitter handle between September 2022 and March 2023, the official told PTI.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups), 505 (2) (statements conducing to public mischief) and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act on March 6, reported PTI.

Police traced the IP address of the accused and apprehended him after interrogation, the official told PTI, adding that further probe was on.

Last year on October 26, a case has been registered against a man for using derogatory words on social media against Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Narayan Rane, said Mumbai Police.

A case under sections 153 A and B (promoting enmity between groups), 500 (defamation) and 504 (disturbing public peace) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against accused Pradeep Bhalekar at Samta Nagar police station in Mumbai.

Mumbai Police received information through social media after which it registered a case against Bhalekar. He is on the run after the case was registered, they added.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday made a surprise visit to civic-run KEM hospital in Mumbai and inquired about the availability of facilities.

He instructed Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials to undertake repairs of six shut wards of the hospital.

“It was a surprise visit after I came to know that six wards of KEM Hospital were shut. Once these wards are ready after repairs, they can accommodate 400 to 450 patients. I spoke to patients and their kin and assured them no one will miss out on treatment due to lack of money,” the CM told reporters after the visit.

Shinde, who was in central Mumbai to attend a function, toured the hospital in Parel late in the evening.

“I found some facilities and services in the hospital in good condition. Work on the shut wards will begin in two days. I have asked authorities to conceal open wires etc,” the chief minister added.
The visit comes after the deaths of 18 persons in a 24-hour period recently in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa in Thane district.

A panel set up to probe the deaths is likely to give its report by August 26.

(With inputs from PTI)

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