A special court on Monday convicted Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Tamil Selwan and four others to six months in jail and also fined them Rs 13,500 each for assaulting Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials in 2017.
Special Judge RN Rokade convicted the five under Indian Penal Code sections for rioting, unlawful assembly, deterring public servant from doing their duty and assault.
The court suspended the sentence to allow the convicts to move the High Court.
The incident took place in 2017 in central Mumbai’s Sion Koliwada area when civic officials had gone to a locality to disconnect illegal electricity and water connections.
When the court asked the MLA if he had anything to say on the conviction, he replied that he “had not done anything wrong”.
Special public prosecutor Sumesh Panjwani, appearing for police, sought maximum punishment, while the defence said imposing maximum punishment should not be a straight jacket formula and that the conduct of the accused should be considered.
It is their first offence and they are good people, hence, the court must give them minimum punishment, the defence argued.
As per the case details, the assault on BMC officials took place in Punjabi Colony and the accused led a mob of 1000-1200 persons, which would be controlled only after police reinforcements were rushed in.
