Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Mumbai, Kirit Somaiya, has been booked for allegedly assaulting and threatening a police inspector in a suburban police station in Mumbai.
The police on Sunday night registered a case against Mr. Somaiya under Sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from his duty) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
Mr. Somaiya, who represents Mumbai-North East constituency, had on August 21 allegedly indulged in a heated argument with police inspector S.R Munde at the Navghar police station and later assaulted him, according to the police.
While Mr. Somaiya refrained from commenting on the matter, his party came to his defence. BJP Mumbai city president Ashish Shelar denied the allegations and said the case against Mr. Somaiya was a “politically registered” one. “It has been the Congress-NCP culture to go after those who fight corruption and turn them into the accused,” Mr. Shelar said. He questioned the timing of the FIR and said the party was mulling a legal fight over the issue.
Mr. Somaiya had been summoned to the police station as part of an enquiry into a case of unlawful assembly registered against him and BJP and NCP workers during a clash in April. The BJP leader allegedly demanded the release of one of his aides, Parikshit Dhume, who had been summoned in the case. A heated argument ensued after the police officer refused to tend to Mr. Somaiya’s request, after which he allegedly slapped the officer and threatened him with dire consequences.
Nationalist Congress Party leader and spokesperson Nawab Malik demanded Mr. Somiaya’s arrest.
