BJP MLA Akash Vijayvargiya granted bail days after being arrested for assaulting civic body official
The 34-year-old legislator from Indore in Madhya Pradesh was also arrested in another case related to a protest held by the saffron party earlier this month.
Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Akash Vijayvargiya was granted bail by a special court in Bhopal on Saturday, three days after he was arrested for assaulting a municipal corporation officer in Indore with a cricket bat, PTI reported. The legislator is the son of BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.
On Thursday, the sessions court in Indore had refused to hear Akash Vijayvargiya’s bail plea, saying the case was out of its jurisdiction. The judge then transferred the case to Bhopal’s special court for public representatives.
While in judicial custody, the 34-year-old was also arrested in connection with case related to a protest on June 4 over power cuts. He was accused of leading the protest without taking the required permissions. Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s effigy was reportedly burned during the demonstration.
District Prosecution Officer Rajendra Upadhaya said the court in Bhopal asked Akash Vijayvargiya to furnish a personal bail bond of Rs 50,000 in the case of assault, and Rs 20,000 in the protest case.
On Friday, BJP president and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had sought a report from the party’s Madhya Pradesh unit regarding the incident.
BJP MLA Akash Vijayvargiya has been granted bail in both the cases - thrashing a Municipal Corporation officer and case in connection with a protest in Rajbada over power cuts in the state - on a cash bail of Rs 50,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively. #MadhyaPradesh https://t.co/MosOWNQ6s2
— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2019
Akash Vijayvargiya’s rationale
Akash Vijayvargiya attacked the Indore municipal officer on Wednesday while he was on an anti-encroachment drive. The legislator hit the civic body official with a cricket bat and chased him even as security personnel scrambled to calm things down. The civic body’s anti-encroachment team was working to demolish a dilapidated house in Ganji Compound locality when the incident took place. The team was identifying weak structures to be demolished in view of the monsoon.
After the incident, the BJP MLA alleged the officers had demolished the building illegally. “I tried to reach out to the corporation, they didn’t take my calls,” he said. “I have a responsibility towards the people who voted for me.” Akash Vijayvargiya added that if required, he would beat up the officers again.
The municipal commission on Thursday suspended 21 employees who supported the BJP leader during the incident. They were identified from the video footage of the incident.