CCTV footage of assault on Mumbai cop unclear: RR Patil

Crime Branch's probe into the assault on a police officer inside the Maharashtra Assembly premises by MLAs has come to a stand still after the Government said the CCTV footage of the incident was inconclusive and those involved in the attack have not been clearly identified.

Home Minister R R Patil has said he along with DGP Sanjeev Dayal and Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Himanshu Roy watched the CCTV footage of the assault, but it does not show clearly who all legislators were present at the time of the incident last week.

MLA Kshitij Thakur.Pic/Bipin Kokate

"The footage is inconclusive. Though there are about 28 cameras in the Assembly premises, they could not capture the incident clearly," Patil said.

Two MLAs, Kshitij Thakur (Bahujan Vikas Agadhi) and Ram Kadam (MNS), were arrested for allegedly thrashing Sub- Inspector (Traffic) Sachin Suryavanshi inside Vidhan Bhavan premises on March 19.

The two lawmakers, currently out on bail, however, did not reveal names of other legislators involved in the unsavoury episode, which caused an outrage.

Crime Branch was banking on the CCTV video to nail other attackers and prepare a water tight case, said a police officer.

MLA Ram Kadam.Pic/Bipin Kokate

Suryavanshi was allegedly thrashed by around 10 to 12 MLAs a day after he stopped Thakur's car and fined him for speeding on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

Following the attack, Thakur, Kadam and three others were suspended from Assembly till December 31 and a Crime Branch probe was ordered.

The Home Minister later suspended Suryavanshi for alleged misbehaviour with Thakur.

A Crime Branch officer, P V Nigde, was also suspended for allegedly entering the Assembly premises without pass while investigating the case. u00a0