Bahadur Singh Koli, BJP MP from Bayana in Rajasthan, has been accused of ‘‘misbehaviour in an inebriated state’’ aboard the Delhi-Mumbai Paschim Express on June 7. Besides the written complaint by 12 passengers and a criminal case filed against him, Koli is also reported to have suffered fractures in his collar bone and backbone in a scuffle with the pantry car staff.Alleging assault, Koli, in turn, lodged a complaint with the General Railway Police at Kota station. While no action has been taken on the complaint filed by the pantry car staff, the authorities have arrested 11 persons on the basis of the MP’s charges. Some of the pantry car staff are also reported to have been injured — the manager suffered a fracture.Admitting that a case had been filed against him and his supporters, Koli, when contacted at Kota, said: ‘‘The BJP workers at Kota were enraged when they saw my condition and they attacked the staff. They may have left some broken bones behind.’’Koli, who was travelling in the AC First Class coach along with some BJP supporters and MLA Jaswant Singh Gurjar, was on his way to Kota to attend a two-day state executive meeting of the party. According to the complaint filed by the passengers, who were in the same coach, the MP and his companions were drinking alcohol, creating a nuisance and behaving rowdily. However Koli has denied the charges.The MP and his group demanded ice at around 11 pm, according to the complaint filed by the pantry car staff with the GRP at Mumbai station. The pantry had closed at 9:30 pm, after dinner was served. When the staff refused to open the pantry, Koli allegedly told them that he was a BJP MP and threatened them with dire consequences. A scuffle followed in which members of both groups were hurt. However, Koli, when contacted at Kota, had a different story to tell. According to him, MLA Gurjar was not feeling well and needed warm water for his medicine. ‘‘He had asked for it four or five times but when the pantry car staff did not listen, I decided to take things in my own hands,’’ he told The Indian Express. The train had just crossed Sawai Madhopur. ‘‘The shutter of the pantry was down. I asked the staff to open the pantry but they refused although I told them that I am a Member of Parliament. They said they didn’t care and assaulted me,’’ alleged Koli, denying that he, or anyone else with him, had been drinking alcohol. Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) I.C. Sharma is conducting an inquiry into the incident.
