Overview

• On July 14, Virar police filed an FIR under sections for unlawful assembly, rioting, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation after video footage showed cadres slapping Raju Patwa near Virar railway station.
• No arrests have been made as officers verify the participation of each accused, including identified office-bearers of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.
• The charges stem from a viral clip in which Patwa refused to speak Marathi and insulted the language, prompting Uday Jadhav’s group to track him down and force a filmed apology.
• Legal experts have criticized the delayed action, warning that slow enforcement undermines the rule of law and fuels further language vigilantism.
• The case reflects broader cultural and political tensions in Maharashtra over regional identity following protests against Hindi mandates and previous attacks on non-Marathi speakers.