NCP MLA Nana Panchabudhe booked under the Atrocity Act

Nagpur, Jan 19 (UNI) The police have booked NCP MLA Nana Panchabudhe under the Atrocity Act on a complaint filed by Rajendra Gajbhiye, a relative of Siddharth Gajbhiye, the key witness in the killing of four members of a Dalit family by villagers at Khairlanji, in the Vidarbha district.

Acting Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Bhandara district Suresh Sagar today told UNI that the offence was registered under section 3 (1) (10) of the Atrocity Act.

In his complaint, Rajendra Gajbhiye said that when he had gone to attend a programme in nearby Dhusala village on January 15, the NCP MLA, who was present at the programme, abused him and made casteist remarks against him.

''The matter is being investigated,'' SP added.

The provisions of the Atrocity Act, render any actions or words uttered with the intention of insulting a member of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, a criminal offence. The offence is cognisable, and non-bailable.

Siddharth Gajbhiye is a relative of the deceased Surekha Bhotmange, one of the victims of the Khairlanji killings. Surekha (45), her daughter Priyanka (18), and sons Roshan (23) and Sudhir (21) were killed by a mob in Khairlanji on September 29 last year over an alleged land dispute.

The state had to subsequently bear the brunt of Dalit fury as several instances of violence and arson were witnessed in the aftermath of these killings.

UNI