Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says 'don't know much about case' as Jignesh Mevani gets bail

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on April 30, reacted to Gujarat's Independent MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani's arrest. While speaking to reporters, he said that he does not know much about the case, however, a complaint was registered against Mevani for 'misbehaving' with a woman police sub-inspector. The Assam CM's statement comes a day after Mevani was granted bail by a local court in Assam's Barpeta district in a case pertaining to the alleged assault on a policewoman. 

Speaking to the reporters, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "I don't know much about the case. There was a complaint of manhandling/misbehaviour on a woman police sub-inspector. On the basis of this complaint, police registered a case. Barpeta sessions court has given a verdict."

Jignesh Mevani granted bail

After being given bail on April 25 for his offensive tweets against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Barpeta Police re-arrested the Gujarat politician in Assam some hours later. On April 21, a complaint was filed against the MLA under IPC Sections 294, 323, 353 (Assault or criminal force to prevent a public worker from doing his duties) and 354 (Assault or use of criminal force against a woman with the aim to offend her modesty). The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court sentenced Mevani to five days in judicial custody after his arrest.

After Mevani's re-arrest, Assam Congress Leader Debabrata Saikia slammed the state police for acting on behalf of the Assam government. "Assam Police is acting on behalf of the present government," Debabrata Saikia said. After communal violence in Gujarat, an FIR was filed against Mevani for his tweet alleging that PM Modi views Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, to be God and that he should call for peace and unity. He was eventually apprehended by the Assam Police late on April 20 in the Palanpur Circuit House, from whence he was transported to Ahmedabad by the Kokrajhar Police. They got on a train bound for Guwahati.

According to sources, a case was filed against him under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), Section 153(A) (promoting enmity between two communities), 295(A), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and Sections of the IT Act based on the complaint of Assam BJP leader, Arup Kumar Dey. 

Image: ANI