Ink attack on Patil: Baramati sugar factory director arrested for announcing ₹51,000 reward, 10 others booked

Hours before ink was thrown at Patil, a video of Rushikesh Gaikwad went viral where he is seen announcing a cash prize to any person who will throw ink first on the Maharashtra minister

The Baramati police have arrested Rushikesh Gaikwad, director of a sugar mill in Baramati and booked 10 others affiliated to a group allegedly linked to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in connection with a video speech which went viral on the social media regarding the ink attack on Maharashtra’s technical and higher education minister Chandrakant Patil on Saturday evening.

Activists of various political parties staged a protest claiming arrests were made under false charges. (HT PHOTO)

Hours before ink was thrown at Patil, a video of Rushikesh Gaikwad went viral where he is seen announcing a cash prize of ₹51,000 to any person who will throw ink first on the Maharashtra minister.

Gaikwad made the announcement at 1 pm and later at around 5.50 pm the senior BJP leader faced an ink attack in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

The Baramati police have booked all the 11 persons under IPC sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 109 (punishment for abetment), 189 (threat of injury to public servant), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation). The ten accused had uploaded a social media post announcing public felicitation of Gharbade for throwing ink at Patil.

Deputy superintendent of police Ganesh Ingle said, “A case has been lodged against 11 persons and Rushikesh Gaikwad has been arrested.”

Pimpri-Chinchwad police chief Ankush Shinde said, “We are probing the role of Gaikwad in Chinchwad ink throwing case. If we find his connivance in the conspiracy, legal action will be initiated against the accused who is currently in custody of Baramati police.”