Mhow (MP): BJP MLA Kalu Singh Thakur, his driver and one of his supporters were booked yesterday for allegedly indulging in violence at a toll booth in Indore district two days ago.
"A case has been registered against Dhar district's Dharampuri constituency MLA Kalu Singh Thakur, his driver and another person, based on a complaint lodged by toll booth in-charge Dharmendra Singh Chouhan," Manpur police station assistant sub-inspector Amod Kumar told PTI.
However, the police booked them under lighter charges like Sections 294 (obscene act or word in public), Section 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others), Section 427 (causing damage), Section 506 (criminal intimidation or frightening) and Section 34 (criminal act done by several persons with a common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, the police official said.
The violence took place on August 24 evening after toll booth workers under Manpur police station limits refused to let the BJP MLA's vehicle pass without paying toll, the police official said.
After the incident, Manpur police station inspector Kamlesh Sharma had said that public representatives like MLAs are exempted from paying toll.
However, after television news footage showed the BJP MLA hurling a stone at the toll booth, besides one of his supporters smashing its glass panes with an iron rod as well as ransacking it, the police action of booking toll booth employees based on the BJP MLA's complaint came under a cloud.
Toll booth manager Ujjwal Pithode had alleged that the BJP MLA and his supporters had allegedly ransacked their workplace, after they were asked to pay toll.
"When the MLA, along with his driver and another person reached the toll booth, they were asked to pay toll, since toll booth employees did not realise that the person sitting in the vehicle is an MLA," Pithode had told PTI.
"Instead of introducing himself, the MLA had abused toll booth staff and telephoned his supporters who gathered at the spot quickly," Pithode had said, adding that the MLA's supporters ransacked the toll booth and broke its glass panes.
Pithode had said that despite several attempts, the police failed to register their complaint.
However, after the BJP MLA complained that toll booth staff had manhandled him, the police had five toll booth employees under Section 294 (obscene act or words) and Section 323 (causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code, besides relevant sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, Manpur police station inspector Kamlesh Sharma had said.
