Madhya Pradesh Minister's Son Booked For Thrashing 4 People; 4 Cops Suspended

Madhya Pradesh police on Sunday registered a case against the son of a Madhya Pradesh minister for allegedly assaulting four persons, including a journalist, in Bhopal.

Abhigyan Patel, son of Madhya Pradesh Minister of State for Health Narendra Shivaji Patel allegedly thrashed a journalist, a restaurateur couple and their employee during an altercation, which was sparked by a road accident.

The minister’s son was on a four-wheeler and had a tiff with a journalist riding a two-wheeler at Trilanga crossing in Bhopal around 8 pm on Saturday. The minister’s son then allegedly assaulted the journalist, prompting the owner of a nearby restaurant and his wife to intervene. Abhigyan allegedly thrashed them too.

According to an NDTV report, following the incident, Minister Patel rushed to Shahpura police station with his aides. There, Abhigyan and his friends alleged that they were tortured and manhandled by policemen.

Upon their manhandling allegations, four policemen, including two officers, were suspended an inquiry was ordered.

As per the testimony of Alisha Saxena, the restaurateur, it all started when a car hit the motorcycle of journalist Vivek Singh. When Singh shouted out to the car driver, asking him to drive properly, Abhigyan and his friends stepped out of the car and allegedly beat up the journalist.

Saxena further alleged that when she intervened, Abhigyan allegedly thrashed her with a rod. Her husband and one of their employees were beaten up when they rushed to save her.

The police registered a case against Abhigyan under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 34 (common intention), 294 (abusing), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon or means) and 506 (criminal intimidation) around midnight, said Bhopal city zone 1 Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Priyanka Shukla.

Acting on a counter-complaint by Abhigyan, the police have pressed similar charges against the restaurant owner and another person, she said.

Meanwhile, the matter turned political when MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari demanded that an attempt-to-murder case be registered against Abhigyan and slammed the police for not registering a separate case against him on the journalist’s complaint.

We will provide a lawyer to the journalist to help him file a private complaint against the minister’s son in court, he said.

(With PTI Inputs)