Bharat Shah, his grandson, son ‘assault’ police, booked

Diamond merchant and film financier Bharat Shah, his son and grandson have been booked for allegedly assaulting police personnel and creating a ruckus at Gamdevi

Diamond merchant and film financier Bharat Shah, his son and grandson have been booked for allegedly assaulting police personnel and creating a ruckus at Gamdevi police station early on Saturday. Additional commissioner of police (south region) Nisith Mishra confirmed the development to HT.

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Bharat was unavailable for comment. Yash, Bharat ’s grandson, was arrested early on Saturday with two of his friends — Rohan Parikh and Yohan Palan Daruwala — for allegedly assaulting a constable at a south Mumbai pub. Bharat and his son Rajiv had gone to Gamdevi police station to sort out the matter. However, they allegedly ended up assaulting an officer at the police station. The arrested accused were produced in court on Saturday and remanded in police custody till November 25.

Bharat and Rajeev have not been arrested yet, the police said.

According to the police, early on Saturday, inspector Anup Dhange was on night patrol along with his team when they visited the pub at Bhulabhai Desai Road. Dhange asked the pub staff to shut the pub as it was open past the 1.30am deadline. The team then left the place. “After learning that the pub was still open, Dhange’s team went there again and asked the owner to shut the pub immediately. Other policemen asked the customers to leave,” said an officer from Gamdevi police station.

Meanwhile, Yash was having an argument with a customer near the elevator. When constable Santosh Pawar, 43, tried to pacify Yash and the other customer, Yash and a few other customers started abusing and assaulting Pawar and even tore his uniform. “Other policemen rushed to Pawar’s help. The police then arrested Yash, Parikh, Daruwala and two customers,” another police officer said.

The five tried to flee when they were being taken to the police station. While Yash, Parikh and Daruwala were caught after a brief chase, the other two managed to flee. Parents of the detainees reached Gamdevi police station to get their children released by allegedly using influence. The police, however, did not budge and registered a case against them. Around 4am, Shah along with Rajiv, visited the police station. “Bharat provoked his grandson by asking him why he assaulted the police constable, when instead he should have assaulted Dhange. Shah, Rajiv and Yash then created a ruckus at the police station. Yash, Rajiv and Bharat then started assaulting Dhange,” said a police officer.

The police have registered two separate cases. In the first case, Bharat, Yash and Raji have been booked for assaulting a police officer. “In the second case, upon constable Pawar’s complaint, all seven have been booked under relevant sections of the IPC. In the second case, we have booked Bharat, Rajiv and Yash under relevant sections of the IPC. I am the complainant in the case. No one has been arrested in the second case yet,” said Dhange.