Two days after Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad was seen physically assaulting a canteen manager at Mumbai's Akashwani MLA Guest House, the Marine Drive police have stepped in. On Friday, they registered a non-cognizable offence against the 58-year-old legislator under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The charges? Voluntarily causing hurt and intentional insult aimed at provoking a breach of peace.
The complaint wasn’t filed by the victim. Instead, a constable from the Marine Drive police station initiated action after the video of the incident went viral on social media. In the footage, an enraged Gaikwad is seen storming into the canteen, aggressively confronting the staff, and slapping the manager. He then forces others including the contractor to smell the packet of dal he claimed was spoiled, before striking the contractor as well.
“We took suo motu cognizance after seeing the video,” confirmed a police officer familiar with the matter.
The video stirred swift and sharp responses from both the ruling and opposition parties. Speaking on the floor of the legislature, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the law does not require a formal complaint for police action in such cases. “Let the police act and they will,” Fadnavis said, also noting that the seriousness of the offence would depend on the degree of force used.
Gaikwad, however, remained unapologetic. Speaking to media, he justified his actions, saying, “I will face the law. I had raised complaints about the quality of food, but no one acted. I did this deliberately, so he learns a lesson.”
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who leads the Shiv Sena faction Gaikwad belongs to, said he had personally reprimanded the MLA over the incident.
