Trinamool’s Saket Gokhale, who has been accused of spreading “fake news” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and subsequently arrested by the Gujarat police, was granted bail on Thursday.
Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien tweeted saying the party’s national spokesperson has been granted bail, adding that they are “always ready to fight the good fight”.
National spokesperson of @AITCofficial the fearless @SaketGokhale has been granted bail mins ago in Ahmedabad. Thank you to the legal team lead by @advmajeedmemon ex-Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament. Inspired by @MamataOfficial all of us are always ready to fight the good fight
— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) December 8, 2022
The Gujarat police had alleged that Mr Gokhale made fake allegations that PM Modi’s visit to Gujarat’s Morbi – the site of a bridge collapse in which over 140 were killed – in November cost the state government Rs 30 crore — around six times the total compensation given to the victims of the tragedy. He has also faked documents for his tweet on the subject, police sources have alleged.
The government’s fact-check unit had zeroed in on the tweet, which was accompanied by what appeared to be a newspaper clipping. “RTI revealed the PM’s visit to Morbi cost Rs 30 crore,” it said. The Press Information Bureau, in its fact-check of December 1, said it was fake and “no such RTI response was given”.
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had backed her party leader and termed the arrest a result of BJP government’s “vindictive attitude”.
“It’s a very bad, and sad (incident). Saket (Gokhale) is a bright man. He is very popular on social media. He has made no mistake,” Mamata Banerjee had said.
“I condemn this vindictive attitude. He (Saket) has been arrested because he tweeted against the Prime Minister. People also tweet against me… We are really feeling sorry about the situation,” she added.
