FIRs registered, 2 held over Vidhan Bhavan scuffle

Thursday’s brawl had been simmering over the past few days, and heated verbal exchanges had taken place between NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad and BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar earlier in the week, said police

MUMBAI: The Marine Drive police have registered a first information report (FIR) and arrested two persons in connection with the scuffle that broke out between supporters of NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad and BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar in the lobby of the Vidhan Bhawan on Thursday afternoon.

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A separate FIR has been registered against Awhad for allegedly trying to obstruct policemen from performing their duty while they were apprehending his supporter Nitin Deshmukh – one of the two persons arrested over the scuffle – in the early hours on Friday.

Both Deshmukh and Sarjerao Takle alias Hrishikesh, considered close to BJP’s Padalkar, were produced in court on Friday and remanded in police custody for three days. Both are implicated in several cases and they had entered the Vidhan Bhavan and engaged in the scuffle on Thursday as part of a well-planned conspiracy, said police.

“Takle entered the Vidhan Bhavan illegally, without any valid pass, and we are investigating who allowed him to enter,” an officer told HT.

Though only MLAs and their personal assistants are allowed inside the assembly, many supporters also gain entry into the premises using visitor passes.

Thursday’s brawl had been simmering over the past few days, and heated verbal exchanges had taken place between the two MLAs on a couple of occasions earlier in the week, the officer quoted earlier said.

“Awhad had received a threatening message before the scuffle broke out. It’s a serious issue that needs detailed investigation,” the officer said.

Deshmukh and Takle have been booked under sections 189 (unlawful assembly), 190 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 191 (rioting), 194 (affray), 195 (assaulting or obstructing public servant when suppressing riot), and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Awhad has been booked under sections 132 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty), 189 (unlawful assembly), 190 (liability of members of an unlawful assembly for offenses committed in prosecution of their common object) and 126 (wrongful restraint) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.