Assam Court Remands Jignesh Mevani to 5-Day Police Custody in 'Assault' Case

Mevani was arrested in connection with this case shortly after he was granted bail in a different case on Monday.

File image of Gujarat MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Jignesh Mevani)

Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani was on Tuesday, 26 April, remanded to five days in police custody by an Assam court in an assault case, according to PTI. Mevani had been arrested in connection with this case shortly after he was granted bail in a different case on Monday.

This (second) case against Mevani was filed on 21 April, under Sections 294 (Obscene acts and songs), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), and 354 (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the IPC.

The Complaint Against Mevani

The complainant, a police officer, said that she, along with three other officers, was escorting Mevani from Guwahati airport to Kokrajhar in a government vehicle on the afternoon of 21 April, when Mevani started using "slang words" against her. On being asked to behave properly, the complainant alleged, Mevani got agitated and "used more slang words".

She also alleged that he pointed a finger toward her and pushed her on to her seat with force, purportedly assaulting her during "the execution of my legal duty… and outraged my modesty by touching me inappropriately while pushing."

Meanwhile Mevani’s lawyer Angshuman Bora told The Indian Express that "this is a completely false and fabricated case". Adding that Mevani is slated to be produced at the Barpeta Chief Judicial Magistrate court on Tuesday, Bora said that they will now move for bail there.

Background

Previously, on Monday, an Assam court had granted bail to Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani in a case pertaining to his tweets about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mevani was first arrested by the Assam Police from Gujarat late on 20 April.