The Madhya Pradesh Police on Wednesday arrested Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Akash Vijayvargiya in Indore for assaulting a municipal corporation officer with a cricket bat, News18 Madhya Pradesh reported. The legislator is the son of BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.
A case has been registered against the MLA and 10 people for assaulting the municipal officer, according to ANI. A court in Indore rejected Akash Vijayvargiya’s bail plea, and sent him to judicial custody till July 7.
In a video clip of the incident, Akash Vijayvargiya is seen attacking the officer, who was part of an anti-encroachment drive in Indore. The BJP legislator hit the officer with a cricket bat and chased him even as security personnel tried to stop him.
An anti-encroachment team was working to demolish a dilapidated house in Ganji Compound locality when the incident took place. The team was identifying weak structures to be demolished in view of the monsoon.
Vijayvargiya told India Today that the officers demolished the building illegally. “The owner of the building paid the corporation to demolish it and some people were staying in the building,” the legislator said. “I tried to reach out to the corporation, they didn’t take my calls. I have a responsibility towards the people who voted for me.” Vijayvargiya added that if required, he would beat up officers again.
BJP leader Hitesh Bajpai defended the MLA’s actions, claiming the officer had asked for a bribe during the anti-encroachment drive. “You can put Akash behind the bars for using a cricket bat to beat up an officer but what about the officer who was asking for bribe?” Bajpai said.
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