Gujarat AAP MLA held for ‘murder bid’; Kejriwal blames BJP, says won’t be scared by such arrests-OxBig News Network

Gujarat AAP MLA Chaitar Vasava arrested on attempt to murder charges

Rajpipla (Gujarat), Jul 6 (PTI)

Gujarat AAP MLA Chaitar Vasava has been arrested on charges of attempt to murder after he allegedly attacked a taluka panchayat functionary at Dediapada in Narmada district, the police said on Sunday.

The incident took place on Saturday during a meeting organised at the prant office under Vasava’s constituency Dediapada.

Vasava was arrested late Saturday night, the police said.

During the meeting, Vasava got agitated after raising objection over his nominee not being considered for appointment as a member of the ‘Aapno Taluko Vibrant Taluko’ (ATVT), a local-level coordination committee, as per the FIR registered at Dediapada police station.

Vasava allegedly started abusing a woman president of Sagbara taluka panchayat.

When Dediapda taluka panchayat president Sanjay Vasava, who was part of the meeting, objected, the MLA allegedly attacked him by hurling a mobile phone at him, causing injuries on his head, according to the complaint lodged by Sanjay Vasava.

The legislator also tried to attack the complainant with a glass but was prevented from doing so by police personnel present there, as per the FIR.

However, as the glass broke, the MLA picked up the glass shards and approached towards Sanjay Vasava and threatened to kill him. The complainant somehow managed to escape, it said.

The MLA damaged a chair kept in the office, the complaint alleged.

An FIR was subsequently registered at Dediapada police station under sections 109 (attempt to murder), 79 (insulting the modesty of a woman through words, gestures), 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 351 (3) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult) and 324 (3) (damage to property) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Meanwhile, as tension escalated in Dediapada following Chaitar Vasava’s arrest, the local administration imposed restrictions on the gathering of more than four persons at one place in the area, to maintain law and order.

Aam Aadmi Party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal claimed the MLA was arrested as the BJP was “furious” after losing to AAP in Visavadar, referring to the recent bypoll in which his party candidate Gopal Italia won.

“AAP MLA @Chaitar_Vasava has been arrested by BJP in Gujarat. BJP is furious after losing to AAP in the Visavadar by-election. If they think that AAP will be scared by such arrests, then this is their biggest mistake. People of Gujarat are now fed up with BJP’s misrule, BJP’s hooliganism and dictatorship, now the people of Gujarat will answer BJP,” Kejriwal charged in a post on X.