12 January,2021 06:13 AM IST | Mumbai | Anurag Kamble
Accused Deepu Tiwari is on the run; (left) constable Nitin Khairmode
A trio who rammed their bike into a car in Powai beat up the constable who was taking them to the police station in an auto on Monday morning. One of the accused even managed to flee during the scuffle. At Powai police station, while in the process of filing an FIR, the constable, Nitin Khairmode, received a call by local BJP MLA Ram Kadam, asking him to not file the case on âhumanitarian grounds'. While Khairmode refused to compromise, Kadam told mid-day that he "just wanted to know the other side of the story".
The trio, two of whom are minors, were riding a bike when they rammed into a woman senior citizen doctor's car around 11 am. Constable Khairmode was patrolling the area when he noticed a commotion near Hiranandani Galeria Circle. He rushed towards the crowd, which had caught the trio, and was told of the incident.
Khairmode packed them into an autorickshaw and proceeded towards Powai police station. However, en route, the trio started slapping and beating Khairmode.
"The three started abusing him and asked them to leave them. When he did not comply, they started slapping him. One of them removed the metal kada from his wrist and started hitting Khairmode on the face," said an officer from Powai police.
"During the scuffle, accused Deepu Tiwari, 24, ran away. Khaimode managed to bring the two minor accused to the police station," the officer said.
After the incident, a few youngsters gathered at Powai police station, claiming to be BJP supporters. Meanwhile, BJP MLA Kadam, too, called Khairmode claiming that the incident must have happened due to a misunderstanding. In an audio clip, which mid-day is in possession of, Kadam is heard asking Khairmode to reconsider filing a complaint for the sake of âhumanity' as the charge is of assaulting a public servant, which invites imprisonment of up to five years, which would ruin his life. Kadam also purportedly asked told the cop that the accused is unmarried and his career will get destroyed.
Khairmode told Kadam that the accused hit him very badly, called him very bad names and that being a cop, he cannot compromise with his self-respect.
mid-day asked Kadam why he called for the victim.
Kadam said, "I did not support the incident. I just wanted to know the other side of the story. The accused in the case are minor, They told me the cop abused them first and there was confusion as he was in civil clothes. I did not ask the cop to do something or not to do something. When I heard the cop's version, I immediately backed out. After all, I must know what happens to citizens living in my constituency."
Powai police filed a case under Sections 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from his duty), 323 (causing hurt) 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. Cops are on the lookout for Tiwari. He is the general secretary of Ghatkopar West state constituency.
