Bombay HC pulls up BJP corporator in assault case

The BMC had moved a contempt petition seeking action against Muraji Patel, corporator from the BJP, and his supporters, for intentionally violating and obstructing the civic body’s work.

“Minimum we expect that this will not happen again.” The political parties should issue notice to party members not to erect illegal hoardings, the bench said. (Express Photo)

THE BOMBAY High Court on Friday came down heavily on a sitting BJP corporator from Andheri (East) and his supporters for allegedly assaulting and threatening to kill a municipal official who was taking action based on a complaint about unauthorised hoardings in the area.

The BMC had moved a contempt petition seeking action against Muraji Patel, corporator from the BJP, and his supporters, for intentionally violating and obstructing the civic body’s work.

A division bench of Justice A S Oka and Justice M S Sonak told the counsel appearing for Patel: “Minimum we expect that this will not happen again.” The political parties should issue notice to party members not to erect illegal hoardings, the bench said.

The bench further said that corporators should educate their voters and make people aware about not defacing the city with illegal hoardings. The court said it will take up the case seriously and that such an act would be liable for civil and criminal contempt. The court is likely to pass orders on Monday.

The contempt petition states that officers of the K/East Ward, Andheri (East), received a complaint on their website on January 30 and 31 regarding an illegal hoarding erected in the municipal playground and on the footpath by Jivanjoti Foundation, which is run and managed by the corporator. The contempt petition stated that corporator Muraji Patel belongs to the BJP.

The officers of the K/East Ward, Uttam Surwade, Sitaram Shelke and Sandeep Keni, visited the site and found the illegal hoardings and banners. The petition alleged that as they started removing the banners, supporters of Patel came to the site and started threatening, abusing and assaulting Surwade and the staff and stopped them from removing the hoardings.

The petition added that Patel’s supporters also threatened to kill the BMC officials and assaulted them. They were injured and admitted to a hospital nearby.

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Later, the BMC officials got an FIR lodged at the police station against seven men, who were Patel’s supporters.

The petition said that the BMC officials were taking action against the illegal hoarding, as there are clear orders of the Bombay High Court regarding this. “… the workers and the supporters of the Corporator belongs to Bharatiya Janta Party obstructed the public officer from doing their public duty, therefore this act of respondents are absolute violations and Contempt of the order passed by this hon’ble court,” the petition said.

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