Cowhide bag: Complainant arrested, activist cries foul

MUMBAI: The Amboli police on Tuesday arrested creative producer Barun Kashyap, who had lodged a complaint for being harassed by cow vigilantes over a ‘cowhide’ bag

MUMBAI: The Amboli police on Tuesday arrested creative producer Barun Kashyap, who had lodged a complaint for being harassed by cow vigilantes over a ‘cowhide’ bag in August, for ‘lying’ about the incident.

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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member and activist Preeti Sharma Menon, however, alleged that Kashyap was arrested on false charges and accused Daya Nayak, controversial ‘encounter specialist’ and assistant police inspector, of implicating him. Menon alleged that Nayak had threatened Kashyap to change his statement.

Kashyap was arrested after an FIR was registered against him by the Amboli police for allegedly lodging a false complaint and creating enmity between two groups. He will soon be produced in a magistrate’s court, said DCP Ashok Dudhe, Mumbai police spokesperson.

In his complaint, Kashyap had said that he had taken an auto to go to the office from his Andheri residence. The driver had argued with him suspecting he was carrying a bag made of cow skin. He had stopped the rickshaw midway at a temple and called two more people to check his bag. They had threatened before letting him go, Kashyap had alleged.

“Daya Nayak has filed a false case against Barun Kashyap and arrested him. The 24-year-old was threatened by Nayak on September 30 to change his original statement made on August 20. Threatened, he feared for his life and so he signed on anything that Nayak asked him to,” Menon said in a statement.

While he was on his way in Menon’s car to meet his lawyers, Kashap along with her driver was intercepted and arrested in Chembur, she alleged. She said she fears for Kashyap’s life.

Nayak did not respond to HT’s calls or SMSes.

Arun Chavan, assistant commissioner of police of DN Nagar division, under whom the probe was initiated, said, “We were trying to locate Barun Kashyap and found his location at Chembur. He was sitting in a car. After inquiry, the driver told us that Menon had asked him to drop Barun. We took them to the police station. Kashyap was arrested, while the driver was let off after we recorded his statement.” On the allegations against Daya Nayak, Chavan said, “He (Kashyap) is the accused, and he can make any kind of allegations.”