Awhad booked for allegedly pushing woman

A video purportedly showed Awhad pushing aside the woman to go closer to chief minister Eknath Shinde’s car ahead of the inauguration of a bridge

Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) lawmaker Jitendra Awhad was booked under the Indian Penal Code’s Section 354 (assault or use of criminal force intending to outrage modesty) for allegedly pushing a woman in a crowd on Sunday near Mumbra in Maharashtra’s Thane.

Jitendra Awhad. (HT PHOTO)

A video purportedly showed Awhad pushing aside the woman to go closer to chief minister Eknath Shinde’s car ahead of the inauguration of a bridge.

A case was on the complaint of the woman, who is a social worker from Mumbra. She alleged Awhad pushed her by touching her shoulders inappropriately. She claimed Awhad asked her why was she standing in the middle and to get out. She alleged he pushed her to the other side. The woman met Shinde before registering the case.

In a tweet, Awhad, a former minister who was released on Saturday on bail in a separate case, accused police of registering a second false case against him. “I will fight against this police brutality.” He said he will resign as a lawmaker as he cannot see the death of democracy.