Dehradun police on Sunday registered a counter FIR in the alleged assault case involving director of elementary education Ajay Naudiyal, a day after a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Raipur was named in the first FIR, even as both sides levelled serious allegations and investigations got underway.
The police registered the counter first information report (FIR) after Raipur BJP MLA Umesh Sharma Kau was named in the initial FIR lodged over the alleged assault on Naudiyal at his office on Saturday.
In the first FIR, Kau and other unidentified persons were booked under sections 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter a public servant from duty), 191(2) (rioting), 324(3) (mischief), 351(3) (criminal intimidation) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A video of the incident went viral on social media, purportedly showing the legislator’s supporters engaged in a heated argument with the senior official before allegedly assaulting him and throwing chairs inside the office. The BJP MLA was also present at the time of the incident.
Naudiyal sustained injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.
The BJP MLA, however, denied all allegations, claiming that those involved in the scuffle were not his supporters. He said only four people had accompanied him to the director’s office and that they left after a discussion.
“We did not assault anyone. It was his people who were involved in the scuffle and threw chairs. If I had come with any plan, I would have brought thousands of my supporters,” Kau said.
He added, “We only wanted a copy of the letter regarding the name change of the school, which he said was pending with the government.”
In his complaint to the Raipur police station in-charge, Naudiyal alleged that he was discussing departmental work with officials when the MLA, along with his supporters, entered his office.
“Kau verbally abused all staff and ordered them to leave. Kau then instructed those accompanying him to close the door and instructed his associates to confiscate my phone. The MLA and his supporters abused me and demanded that the Government Primary School matter (name change) be resolved in front of them. I informed the MLA that the matter had been referred to the Uttarakhand government and that a decision could only be taken at the government level,” Naudiyal said.
He further alleged that seeing the MLA’s behaviour and the hooliganism of those accompanying him, office staff gathered outside the room and requested the door be opened, but the door was not opened.
“The office staff then informed the police. After some time, the door was opened and staff entered inside and tried to intervene. The MLA and his associates resorted to violence. They attacked me and my staff. The MLA and his supporters tore office files and seized some papers. They also threw office furniture at me, leaving my eyes and face injured, and I was immediately taken to the hospital,” Naudiyal claimed.
Following this, police registered a counter FIR against unidentified persons under sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), 131 (punishment for assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation) and 352 of the BNS on the complaint of the MLA’s gunner Sushil Ramola.
Senior superintendent of police Pramendra Dobhal said, “We have registered the FIR and counter FIR in the case. We have started the investigation and will get to the bottom of the matter and take appropriate action.”
