TMC official assaulted after audio clip goes viral; Awhad, 4 associates booked

An assistant commissioner, who is in-charge of the encroachment department of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), was allegedly beaten up by four members of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday outside the civic body headquarters

An assistant commissioner, who is in-charge of the encroachment department of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), was allegedly beaten up by four members of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday outside the civic body headquarters.

Thane, India - February 15, 2023: Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) Assistant Commissioner Mahesh Aher helped by staff and police officials on his way to office, after being manhandled by NCP workers, in Thane, India, on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

The incident occurred after an alleged audio clip of the official, Mahesh Aher, surfaced, in which he confessed to have planned to kill NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad and his family. Aher purportedly said he had hired a sharpshooter for the purpose with the help of gangster Babaji, alias Subhash Singh Thakur, who is lodged in Tihar jail.

Late on Wednesday night, the Naupada police booked the four NCP members along with Awhad under sections 353, 307, 332, 506(2), 143, 148, 149, and 120 (B) of Indian Penal Code.

Earlier in the day, Awhad told HT, “We are not afraid of such threats (mentioned in the audio clip) and will not file any complaint. I know that even after filing a complaint, the police will not act.”

The video of the four kicking and assaulting Aher has gone viral on social media. In it, the group can also be seen creating a ruckus outside the TMC headquarters and waiting for Aher to come out. Aher was attacked when he was on his way home.

Security guards rushed to the spot to control the situation. Other senior officials of the TMC and the local police saved Aher from the mob and sent him to Thane civil hospital.

When contacted by HT, Aher said he had not heard the audio clip which was mentioned by the assaulters and so, he could not comment on it.

Meanwhile, Ruta Awhad, wife of the NCP MLA, filed a complaint against Aher at Vartak Nagar police station. “Such an officer with criminal conspiracies is a threat to my family and he should be suspended till the investigation by the police is over. This is not the first time he threatened us,” she said.