THANE: Five history-sheeters, some with serious criminal records, were arrested by Shri Nagar police in connection with the brutal assault on a 41-year-old hotelier from Bhandup, who is a relative of MP. The incident unfolded inside an office at Wagle Estate, Thane, on Wednesday.A city-based developer, Bhushan Bhanushali, was named as the prime accused, said a police officer.According to police, the arrest was made in the case where the hotelier, along with some builders and the office owner, was engaged in a business discussion around 3:15 p.m. when a mob of 20–21 men barged in. “They began punching and kicking the hotelier and others, and ransacked the place using cups, paperweights, flower pots, and other objects,” a police official stated. The victim suffered multiple injuries, including a severe blow to his private parts.An FIR was registered late on July 16 under several stringent provisions of the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Among the accused is prominent Thane-based builder Bhushan Bhanushali, who was named the prime accused in the case. Bhanushali, however, denied involvement, claiming, “My name is being unnecessarily dragged into this. I was trying to resolve the matter.”Police believe the altercation began with a minor argument involving Bhanushali’s son, which then escalated. Shri Nagar police have recovered CCTV footage from the office and surrounding areas and are recording witness statements to reconstruct the sequence of events. The FIR lists charges including unlawful assembly, rioting, house trespass, criminal intimidation, mischief, and voluntarily causing hurt.
