Bengaluru: An Andhra Pradesh-cadre IAS officer and his realtor-friend were among the four booked on charges of abusing and attacking police officers at a nightclub on Residency Road in Bengaluru when the latter were checking the credentials of customers to ensure liquor was not served to underage customers.The 2019-batch officer under police scanner is Vikas Marmat, currently serving as project director of Kuppam Area Development Authority in AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s home constituency, Kuppam. His friends booked are Abhay Uday Singh, a real estate businessman and resident of Akshaynagar on Bannerghatta Road, and Nitish, owner of a competitive exams coaching centre and resident of Bihar. The fourth person booked is Roshan, a bouncer.While the officer has been named as primary accused, others were named co-accused in the incident that took place on the night of Oct 9. Next morning, Vikas and others apologised for their act, police said.The incident unfolded when sleuths from Central Crime Branch (CCB) visited Cavore on Residency Road as part of a drive to check underage revelry at liquor joints. A team led by inspector Arun Salunke visited the outlet around 1.30am. While interacting with revellers, a police officer asked a few young women to produce documents to prove age. This made Vikas and Abhay angry. They allegedly started behaving tersely with the police.“First, Vikas, saying he was an IAS officer, asked what rights we had to ask the girls to produce age documents. We replied stating this was part of a special drive against pubs and bars that serve liquor to minors. Then, Vikas asked under whose direction we were doing it. We replied that our police commissioner has directed it. Then, Vikas asked what’s our jurisdiction limit. We replied CCB covers the entire city. At this, Vikas became furious, saying no such powers have been given to police, where one branch can act anywhere in the city like Bengaluru. By then, he abused us. When we resisted, Abhay Uday Singh pushed and attacked us,” a cop present at the scene told TOI.Nitish and Roshan too allegedly abused and pushed other cops, asking them to go out. Vikas allegedly hurled expletives at the cops, which was videographed and the same went viral on Tuesday. Soon, more police force reached the place and all four men were taken to Cubbon Park police station.Police inspector Arun Salunke registered the FIR stating the four allegedly picked up an altercation, abused and attacked the cops on duty. Accordingly, police registered a case against Vikas, Abhay, Nitish and Roshan for criminal intimidation, assault on a public servant to prevent them from discharging their duties and use of criminal force to dishonour a person.+++++++InsetCM Naidu orders probeFollowing demands by YSRCP, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has directed the chief secretary to submit a detailed report on the incident. The CM’s office is said to have taken serious note of the incident and is reportedly reviewing the matter for potential disciplinary action.
