Mumbai: Terming a traffic police head constable's complaint about an assault on him by three RPI activists in 2012 as “a much exaggerated version,” a sessions court in Dindoshi acquitted all three accused. According to the prosecution, on October 6, 2012, traffic constable Nandkumar Bankar, along with two home guards and one warden, was on duty near Bhor junction along the Western Express Highway when he intercepted a Maruti car at 9pm, as the driver had not fastened his seat belt and the car was proceeding from the wrong side of the road. But instead of stopping, the driver went straight towards Bankar, who in turn knocked the car’s bonnet after which the driver stopped. The driver, later identified as Ravi Hirve, started abusing Bankar saying that he was the bodyguard of a local RPI leader. Soon, Hirve called three of his friends and together, they began beating up the constable, who was forced to flee the place. He ended up admitting himself to Bhagwati hospital.
Initially, a case of attempt to murder was registered against Hirve and his friends Vijay Kevat and Pradip Bhalekar but later, the charges were commuted to attempt to commit culpable homicide and voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty.
Judge Khwaja F.M. observed that the medical report and the other witness, a home guard, did not support the complainant's claim. Also the doctor who treated Bankar told the court that he had been admitted as his blood pressure was high and there was no apparent mark of assault.
