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Journalism of Courage
The arrest of any elected legislator is enough to make headlines. But when that Member of the Legislative Assembly MLA is don-turned politician Arun Gawli and the location is Central Mumbai8217;s Dagdi Chawl, the onlookers, the press, camera crews8212;and even the police8212;arrive in droves.
So, when Chinchpokli MLA Arun Gulab Gawli 52 and his lieutenant Sunil Ghate were arrested on Monday evening for threatening and assaulting a journalist on Sunday, on display was some high voltage melodrama.
Early in the search, somebody mentioned the chief minister8217;s swearing-in ceremony. A team was immediately despatched to Raj Bhavan, but Gawli was not there.
There were numerous police vans in the seedy lane outside the chawl, standing bumper to bumper with the outbroadcasting vans of television channels, causing traffic snarls on both sides of the narrow road.
There were also policewomen8212;just in case Dagdi Chawl8217;s women blocked their way.
Finally, at 5.15 pm, he arrived from his sister8217;s residence somewhere in the vicinity. He was promptly arrested and carted away to the Agripada police station.
Gawli and corporator Ghate were arrested under Section 506 1, 341 and 323 of the Indian Penal Code for threatening, illegal detention and assault. The complaint had been filed by Mateen Hafeez, a reporter with The Asian Age who claimed he was manhandled during an interview with the just-elected legislator.
Gawli and Ghate were released after two sureties were provided. Two others, Arun Vasant Sathe 40 and Ajit Sakharam Jadhav 32, were released by court on a cash bail of Rs 3,000 each.
Meanwhile, a delegation of crime reporters met Police Commissioner A.N. Roy and demanded immediate action against Gawli. 8216;8216;We have registered a case and have arrested accused persons,8217;8217; was all Roy would say.
