Arrested for Assault on Retired Navy Officer in Mumbai, 6 Suspected Shiv Sena Workers Get Bail

Day after a retired Navy officer was assaulted in Mumbai for forwarding a cartoon of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on social media, six suspected Shiv Sena workers arrested in the case were granted bail on Saturday. The release evoked allegations of political pressure on the police.

Questioning the decision to grant bail, BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “It’s very wrong and a kind of ‘state-sponsored terror’ situation. I called upon Uddhav ji through my tweet to stop this ‘goonda raj’. The six accused were released in 10 minutes.” Fadnavis had slammed the Thackeray government on Friday over reports of the assault

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he spoke to the Navy veteran and wished him a speedy recovery. “I spoke to retired naval officer Madan Sharma, who was attacked by hooligans in Mumbai, and enquired about his health. Such attacks on ex-servicemen are completely unacceptable and deplorable. I wish Madan ji a speedy recovery,” ANI quoted him as saying.

The six persons were arrested after local BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar posted a video of the Friday’s assault on the retired officer, Madan Sharma (62), on Twitter. A complaint was filed against Sena workers at Kandivali police station. Leader of opposition in the state Legislative council Pravin Darekar, Bhatkhalkar and the victim’s family members staged an agitation outside the ACP’s office in Kandivali.

They demanded that the accused be booked under sections 326 (causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons and means), and 452 and 450 (house-trespassing) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which are non-bailable. Nangre Patil, who visited the site of the protest,told the protesters the accused were booked under section 325of the IPC for causing grievous hurt and rioting sections,which was a bailable offence.

“Six persons arrested yesterday under section 325 of the IPC. They were granted bail in view of the COVID-19 situation. There is no political pressure. I don’t think section 326 can be invoked since that amounts to the use of sharp weapons. We will see the legal scrutiny of slapping trespassing clauses against them,” the police officer said. The Shiv Sena heads the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) dispensation, also comprising the NCP and Congress.

With PTI inputs