BJP MLA,former mayor get notice to appear before police

Surat police issued notices to BJP MLA Harsh Sanghvi and former mayor of Surat city Raju Desai and asked them to appear before the police and give their statements on their alleged involvement in manhandling a police officer last week. When contacted,Sanghvi said,“We got the notice late on Sunday evening and we were told to be present before the investigating officer of Umra police station at 11 am on Monday.”

“However,with Ganesh visarjan taking place during that time,we informed the police that we would be able to appear only on Thursday,” he further added. Police officer Z I Shaikh had lodged a complaint after he was allegedly manhandled by BJP leaders and party workers,who were celebrating the anointment of Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate.

“We have also found that there is a malafide intention behind the police complaint. We are shocked that the complaint was filed 17 hours after the incident. We’ve demanded that the police should take our statements in the presence of mediapersons and not behind closed doors,” he said.