Bengaluru: An IAS officer from Andhra Pradesh and three others have been booked for allegedly abusing, threatening and assaulting a police inspector and other personnel during an inspection at a pub on Residency Road in Bengaluru in the early hours of October 9.
The accused have been identified as Vikas Marmat, Project Director of the Kuppam Area Development Authority in Andhra Pradesh, and his friends Abhay Singh, Nitish and Roshan. The Cubbon Park police registered a case based on a complaint filed by Arun Salunke, a police inspector attached to the Special Investigation Team of the Central Crime Branch (CCB).
A senior police officer said no action had been taken against the accused so far.
Police team was conducting late-night inspections
According to the complaint, the police team was conducting inspections at bars and restaurants within the limits of the Cubbon Park and Ashok Nagar police stations on the instructions of the Bengaluru Police Commissioner.
The inspections were aimed at checking for suspicious elements and verifying compliance with applicable rules at establishments operating late at night.
On October 9, a team led by Salunke, along with police officers B S Ashok and Mahadevayya, Assistant Sub-Inspector Balaram Naik and other personnel, visited a pub on Residency Road.
During the inspection, the police personnel were checking customers’ identity cards to verify their ages.
Accused allegedly abused and assaulted police personnel
The complaint alleges that the four accused picked an argument with Salunke and his colleagues over a trivial issue while the inspection was under way.
The accused allegedly abused the police personnel and obstructed them from carrying out their official duties. The complaint further states that the confrontation escalated, with the four men allegedly assaulting and threatening the officers.
The allegations have led to a police case against the four accused. Further details about the investigation and any subsequent action against them were not immediately available.
The case comes amid intensified late-night checks at pubs and bars in Bengaluru. Such inspections are intended to identify suspicious activities and ensure that establishments comply with regulations.
Video of confrontation circulates on social media
The incident attracted public attention after a video purportedly showing the confrontation circulated on social media.
The footage triggered criticism of the alleged behaviour towards police personnel who were on duty. However, the allegations against the accused will have to be established through the investigation and legal proceedings.
The registration of the case marks the formal initiation of action based on the inspector’s complaint. As of the latest available information, the police had not taken further action against the accused, according to a senior police officer.
The investigation is expected to establish the circumstances that led to the confrontation and examine the allegations of assault, threats and obstruction of police duties.