Former Mayor Takes Police Lathicharge Complaint Directly to Maharashtra Chief Minister
Former mayor Vikas Jain has escalated his grievance against the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city police to the highest level. On Monday, he formally complained to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Jain alleges an unprovoked lathicharge and serious abuse of authority by police officers during the January 16 vote-counting incident at the Government Engineering College.
Shiv Sena Leaders Join the Protest
Shiv Sena office-bearers also met Police Commissioner Pravin Pawar on the same day. They submitted a strong representation demanding the immediate registration of a First Information Report against Assistant Commissioner of Police Sagar Deshmukh.
Guardian Minister Confirms High-Level Action
District Guardian Minister Sanjay Shirsat provided an update on the situation. He confirmed that Jain's complaint is already under active consideration at the highest levels of government. "I have personally raised this critical issue with the Chief Minister," Shirsat told reporters. "CM Fadnavis has given me his firm assurance that a proper inquiry will be conducted into the entire matter."
Shirsat revealed that further legal steps are now being initiated. "We are preparing to move the High Court," he explained. "Our petition will seek clear directions for a high-level inquiry against the guilty police personnel, particularly those led by the ACP. We will also demand the registration of an FIR. The police assault was completely unprovoked. To make matters worse, the police then registered an FIR based on a completely false complaint filed by the ACP himself."
Jain's Account of Injuries and False Charges
Vikas Jain himself spoke about the physical and legal consequences he faces. Following the incident, police booked Jain along with two other individuals. The charges include allegedly assaulting police personnel and obstructing official duty at the counting centre.
Jain strongly refuted these allegations. He claimed the police action left him with multiple injuries across his body. "I have already undergone a thorough medical examination," Jain stated. "The hospital duly registered a medico-legal case. This official document records all the injuries I sustained during this unfortunate incident."
In his detailed complaint to the Chief Minister, Jain presented his version of events. He alleged that police resorted to excessive force without any justification. This happened when he visited the counting centre where votes for several municipal corporation wards were being tallied. Jain insisted he made no attempt to violate the security arrangements in place. He directly accused the police of filing a false complaint purely to justify their violent lathicharge.
Police Defend Their Actions
The police department offered a different perspective on the events of January 16. Officials stated that strict access control was enforced at the counting centre. They acted in full accordance with standard election guidelines.
According to the police version, entry was strictly restricted. Only candidates and authorised representatives carrying valid identity cards issued by the returning officer were permitted inside. "Mild force was used only as a last resort," a senior police officer clarified. "This action followed attempts by a group to force entry without presenting valid identification. Their actions created a genuine law-and-order situation that required intervention."
Based on the official complaint filed by ACP Sagar Deshmukh, the Vedantnagar police station registered a case. The case names Vikas Jain, Shiva Rajput, and Abhishek Jeevanwal as the accused. Police have invoked relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The charges include obstructing government work, violating prohibitory orders, and attacking public servants on duty.
