Mumbai, Apr 12 (Agencies): Bandra East bypoll candidate and former Congress minister Narayan Rane's son, Nilesh Rane, was detained by the Kherwadi police on Saturday morning for violation of model code of conduct. Police officials said Nilesh, a Congress party worker, was neither a candidate nor a voter in the constituency and was still spotted making rounds of the area.

Besides Nilesh, the Kherwadi police also briefly detained Shiv sena leader Vinayak Raut after he visited a shakha at Bandra East. Raut too is neither a candidate nor a voter from the constituency. Raut was handed over to the Bandra-Kurla Complex police as the area where he was found falls in the latter's jurisdiction. He is likely to be released later in the day. 

Meanwhile Rane's other son, Nitesh, was detained by the Vakola police for the same reason. But after questioning him and examining his vehicle, the cops let Nitesh go.

"We have been flushing out party workers since morning and only those who did not leave were being detained," said Sanjay Jadhav, senior inspector, Kherwadi police station.

Soon after Nilesh was picked up, an enraged Narayan Rane lodged a protest against his 'wrongful' detention and warned not to let in any vehicles of the Sena into the area till 5 pm, when the voting ends.

"If I find any Sena leader or minister moving in their vehicles in this area illegally campaigning for their party candidates, I myself will stop those vehicles and ensure that police initiate action against them," he said.

According to the latest report, Waris Pathan of the All India MIM party too was detained by the Nirmal Nagar police in Khar East for violation of poll code of conduct on Saturday. The Bandra East by-polls were on when Pathan was found in the constituency despite not being a candidate nor a registered voter there.