Gujarat MLA’s son among 5 booked for hanging driver upside down, beating him over suspected diesel theft

VADODARA: The son of Karjan MLA Akshay Patel and four others have been booked for offences under the Atrocities Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita after a dumper driver alleged he was tied up, hanged upside down, assaulted and abused after being accused of stealing diesel.

Karjan police registered the offence against Rishi Akshay Patel and four other men based on a complaint by Natvar Vasava, a resident of Navinagari in Indore village of Jhagadia taluka. Vasava said he had been working as a driver on a dumper owned by Rishi Patel for the past year.

According to the FIR, the incident took place on May 15, when Vasava and another driver returned from Jambusar after unloading sand. They were allegedly called to an office in Bakapur village of Karjan taluka.

Vasava stated that Rishi Patel showed him a photograph of a vehicle and accused him of stealing diesel. When Vasava denied it, Patel allegedly assaulted him with a metal pipe, after which four others beat him with plastic pipes.

The FIR states that the accused formed an unlawful assembly and attacked the victim with weapons. It further alleges that the accused tied Vasava’s legs with a rope, hung him upside down and assaulted him while hurling casteist abuses. The complainant said he was insulted by references to his tribal identity in derogatory terms before being left injured.

Vasava alleged that he lost consciousness during the assault. Office workers later rescued him and helped him return home. He was subsequently taken in a 108 ambulance to the govt hospital in Umalla and then to Rajpipla Civil Hospital for further treatment.

Police have named five accused — Rishi Akshay Patel, Jaydatbapu alias Deveshbapu, Sahil Patel alias Sahil Pathan, Javed Pathan and Vijay — in the case. Officials said teams have been formed to trace the accused, who are currently at large.

Sushil Agrawal, superintendent of police, Vadodara rural, said there were two victims in the case and their versions differed. “We first conducted a preliminary inquiry and then registered an FIR,” Agrawal said.