Mumbai: MNS leader threatens excise officer, arrested in Vasai

MNS leader Swamnil Dcunha, who was arrested by the Vasai police on April 6. Pic/Hanif Patel

The district president of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Vasai, Swapnil Dcunha, has been arrested for allegedly using criminal force to deter an excise officer from discharging his duty, insulting him publicly, videotaping the incident and making it viral on internet to establish his hegemony in the area. The 52-year-old complainant, Krishan Ratan Kharpade, is an excise officer and was in Vasai to conduct raids on illegal distribution of Daman-made liquor.

Sources in police department told mid-day that Kharpade, who belongs to Varli tribe from Palghar district, had to conduct raids near Chinchoti phata on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway on April 3 when Dcunha allegedly used undue force ,asking him why action has not been taken against "an illegal Vineet Bar and Restaurant in Vasai West".

"The MNS district president of Vasai reached the spot and started a heated argument with Kharpade, whom he also abused verbally besides insulting him with casteist slurs. He left the premises only to return with his accomplice ,who video taped the incident and uploaded it to the Internet," said the source. "Kharpade had been telling the accused that it is the responsibility of civic officials to take action against illegal construction. Also, the license to run the bar and restaurant was given by Collector of Palghar district decades ago. Though Kharpade kept on urging him not to obstruct his official work, Dcunha did not care about the request. He, instead, abused and manhandled Kharpade while his accomplice captured the incident on his cellphone camera," added the source.

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The source further told mid-day that when Kharpade said he would file a First Information Report (FIR), Dcunha allegedly told him that he is not scared of any legal action, as many such cases have been registered against him in past. In his statement to Vasai police, Kharpade said, "Dcunha abused me saying that ‘you are a tribal thief', while manhandling me and went away. In next 10 minutes, he returned with his accomplice who started to record a video on his cellphone while Dcunha continued his abusive slurs to insult me in the presence of my colleagues."

"When I told Dcunha that he needs to approach offices of the local municipal corporation and the District Collector, who are liable to take action against the illegal construction of the building where Vineet Bar and Restaurant is located, Kharpade replied by alleging that that I take hafta (bribes) from such illegal bars misusing my postion as an excise officer," reads the FIR, a copy which is in possession of mid-day. The next day, Kharpade reached the Vasai police station, where an FIR under sections 323, 353, 34 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 has been registered against Dcunha and his unidentified accomplice.

The case is being investigated by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Padmaja Badhe, Vasai division, who said, "Dcunha is currently an MNS district president in Vasai and has insulted an excise officer ,Krishna Kharpade, besides verbally abusing him. We have registered an FIR based on Kharpade's statement and arrested Dcunha on April 6. He was produced before a court and was subsequently remanded to police custody till April 10."