The Mumbai Police on Monday arrested four Shiv Sena members, including former city mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, for allegedly attacking Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya’s car over the weekend, reported PTI.
Apart from Mahadeshwar, those arrested include former Shiv Sena corporator Haji Haleem Khan and party activist Dinesh Kunal. The fourth accused person is yet to be identified.
A Khar police station official told PTI that all four of them were charged with rioting as they allegedly hurled stones at Somaiya’s car.
“We four were arrested but we do not know under which IPC sections and whether they are bailable or non-bailable,” Mahadeshwar told PTI. “An FIR was registered at the Bandra police station in connection with the incident. On Sunday morning, the case was transferred to the Khar police station as the incident took place under their jurisdiction.”
Meanwhile, a BJP delegation from Maharashtra met Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in Delhi on Monday and urged him to form a special investigation team to investigate the matter, reported PTI.
“Nityanand Rai assured BJP delegation to take appropriate steps to stop abuse of power and assault,” Somaiya wrote on Twitter.
The incident
On Saturday, the Mumbai Police had arrested Independent Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband, MLA Ravi Rana after they had said they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa in front of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s home. The statement had angered Shiv Sena workers, who surrounded the couple’s home in suburban Khar and demanded an apology.
Hours after the couple cancelled their plan, the police arrested them for promoting enmity between different groups and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.
Later on Saturday evening, Somaiya visited the Khar police station to meet the legislators when he was allegedly attacked by Shiv Sena workers. They reportedly threw stones, footwear and water bottles at the BJP leader’s car while he was leaving.
Somaiya shared a video of him sitting inside car with blood trickling down his chin. “I am shocked, in presence 50 police persons, in the compound/campus of Khar Police Station, Shiv Sena’s 100 gundas [goons] assault me with stones, wanted to kill me,” he wrote in a tweet.
At a press conference on Sunday, Somaiya accused the Shiv Sena government of trying to kill him.
“I had informed the police station in the evening that I would come at midnight,” Somaiya told reporters. “I was insulted on arrival [by Sena workers]. Attempts were made to stop my car. On my way back, I told the police that a mob of Sena workers was going to attack me.”
He also accused Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey of registering “a bogus FIR” to downplay the seriousness of the matter.
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