Crime Branch to probe allegations against Narayan Rane’s son

MUMBAI - The Crime Branch will investigate the case in which Revenue Minister Narayan Rane’s son Nitesh Rane has been accused of shooting at a member of his NGO, a top official said here Sunday.

The development comes after the Khar Police, which was probing the case for the past 10 days, failed to make any headway in the matter.

The case papers were transferred to the Crime Branch at police headquarters Saturday afternoon. Nitesh Rane’s role in the incident will be probed.

Nitesh Rane, who runs the NGO Swabhiman Sanghatana, allegedly opened fire at Shamim Jamaluddin Shaikh alias Chintoo, the president of Swabhiman Vahatuk Sangh.

Shaikh further alleged that Nitesh Rane’s goons assaulted him when he had gone to meet the NGO chief at his Khar office Sep 23 and he somehow managed to escape alive.

Shaikh had reportedly sustained injury when the bullet grazed his right cheek as he jumped out of the office window and admitted himself in Hiranandani Hospital at Powai.

However, a day after the incident, the Hiranandani Hospital authorities said that as per preliminary medical reports, the victim had not sustained any bullet injury.

Shaikh later met Home Minister R.R. Patil and complained that there was no progress in the matter and sought his intervention.

Incidentally, Shaikh was a member of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) before he joined Nitesh Rane’s NGO a few months ago.