Cop allegedly beaten up by MLAs to depose before panel today

Mumbai: Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Suryavanshi, who was allegedly assaulted by a group of MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly last month, will depose before a fact-finding committee today. The six-member committee, headed by MLA Ganpatrao Deshmukh, is expected to submit its report to the Speaker of the house within 10 days.

Mr Suryavanshi had stopped the car of Kshitij Thakur, an MLA from the Bahujan Vikas Party, for speeding on the Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai on March 18. The cop alleged that he was beaten up by a group of politicians when he was summoned to the Maharashtra Assembly the next day. He said that 15 MLAs, including Mr Thakur, assaulted him during a break in the assembly.

Mr Thakur and Ram Kadam of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) were arrested and later released on bail. The house too suspended five MLAs till December 31 for assaulting the cop and formed a six-member committee, headed by Mr Deshmukh, to probe into the incident.

State legislators had asked the government to take action against Mr Suryavanshi who is allegedly heard using inappropriate language against the MLA. He was later suspended.

Home Minister RR Patil said early inquiries suggest the cop used inappropriate language against Mr Thakur when he stopped the MLA on the sea link. Mr Thakur has also alleged that the cop misbehaved with him and fined him unnecessarily. Mr Suryavasnhi claims that the MLA had flouted traffic rules and he fined him for over-speeding and driving a vehicle with tinted glasses.