MLA hostel row: Mumbai police register non-cognizable complaint against Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad

“We have lodged an NC (non-cognizable complaint) under sections 115(2), 352 and 3(5) of the BNS,” a Marine Drive police station officer said. The sections deal with charges of voluntarily causing hurt and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, among others.

Following the incident, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said his behaviour had tarnished the image of the legislature and assured that action would be taken, Gaikwad’s party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said he had reprimanded the MLA.

On Tuesday, Gaikwad entered the MLA hostel canteen and confronted the staff claiming he was served sour dal and spoiled rice. In the video of the incident, Gaikwad is seen slapping and punching the canteen operator and asking others to leave their bills unpaid. His supporters, too, joined him and assaulted the canteen staff.

An unapologetic Gaikwad later said he had complained about food quality on several occasions, but no action was taken. “… The quality of food should be good here as it is a government canteen. I have no regrets for what I did. I am a public representative… when someone fails to understand democratic language, then I have to use this language… I don’t regret it and I will repeat it, if needed…” the MLA had said.

Gaikwad on Friday threatened to assault AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel, who had criticised him for attacking the canteen staff.

Jaleel, a former AIMIM MP from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, had said assaulting a poor person in such a way was not good. To that, Gaikwad said, “Then Jaleel bhai, you should take the contract of running that hotel (MLA Hostel canteen) and then feed that kind of food. I thrashed that man (canteen worker) by punching him twice. But I will beat Imtiaz Jaleel so badly that he will not be in a position to run a hotel.”

Jaleel hit back: “I am in no mood to run a hotel. But if a poor man is working as a waiter and an MLA of the ruling party is beating him just because he did not get the right kind of food… Do they not know that rules are framed in the Assembly? Had Gaikwad been a bit educated, he would have written a letter to the Speaker (over the issue of food).”

With PTI