Cop assault case: Charge sheet filed against two MLAs

MUMBAI: Three months after two MLAs allegedly assaulted a police officer inside the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly premises, the Crime Branch has filed 130-page charge sheet against them.

The crime branch filed the charge sheet against MNS MLA Ram Kadam and Kshitij Thakur of Bahujan Vikas Aghadi yesterday for assaulting 31-year-old Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Suryavanshi, attached to Worli Traffic Police, in Vidhan Bhavan on March 19.

The incident had taken place a day after Suryavanshi had stopped Thakur's vehicle and imposed a fine for over-speeding on the Bandra-Worli Sea link.

In the charge sheet, the Crime Branch has recorded the statements of 27 witnesses, including policemen, who were part of the security personnel at the state legislature at the time of incident.

One of the police officers has said in his statement that around 15-20 persons assaulted Suryavanshi, while the latter was continuously pleading for mercy.

According to the witness, Kadam kept on beating and abusing Suryavanshi and even threatened to kill him.

The charge sheet also has the statements of policemen, who said that even Thakur had assaulted Suryavanshi.

The charge sheet also names 13 unidentified persons, as Suryavanshi had only identified Kadam and Thakur.

An FIR had been registered on March 19 at the Marine Drive police station against Thakur, Kadam and 14 others in this case.

Both the MLAs have been booked for assaulting,criminal intimidation, rioting etc. The duo was arrested on March 21, but the court granted them bail on March 25.