Former mayor escalates his plaint against police to CM

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Former mayor Vikas Jain on Monday escalated his complaint against the city police to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, alleging an unprovoked lathicharge and abuse of authority by police officers, including an assistant commissioner of police (ACP), during the Jan 16 vote-counting incident at the Government Engineering College. Shiv Sena office-bearers also met commissioner of police Pravin Pawar during the day and submitted a representation demanding the registration of an FIR against ACP Sagar Deshmukh.Meanwhile, district guardian minister Sanjay Shirsat told TOI that Jain's complaint had already been taken up at the highest level. "I have raised the issue with the CM, who assured me that an inquiry would be conducted," Shirsat said.He added that further legal action was being initiated. "We are moving high court seeking directions for a high-level inquiry against the guilty police personnel, led by the ACP, and for the registration of an FIR. The assault was not only unprovoked, but the police also registered an FIR based on a completely false complaint filed by ACP," Shirsat said.Jain, who following the incident was booked along with two others for allegedly assaulting police personnel and obstructing official duty at the counting centre, claimed that the police action left him with injuries across his body. "I already underwent a medical examination and the hospital registered a medico-legal case documenting the injuries sustained during the incident," Jain said.In his complaint to the CM, Jain alleged that police resorted to force without justification when he went to the counting centre where votes for several municipal corporation wards were being counted. He added that he did not attempt to violate security arrangements and accused police of filing a false complaint to justify the lathicharge.Police, however, said strict access control was enforced at the counting centre as per election guidelines. According to police, entry was restricted to candidates and authorised representatives carrying identity cards issued by the returning officer. "Mild force was used only after a group allegedly attempted to force entry without valid identification, leading to a law-and-order situation," a police officer said. Based on a complaint filed by Deshmukh, Vedantnagar police registered a case against Jain, Shiva Rajput and Abhishek Jeevanwal under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, for obstructing govt work, violating prohibitory orders and attacking public servants.