Maha BJP MLA booked for slapping on-duty police constable

An offence has been registered against a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA for allegedly slapping an on-duty police constable in Maharashtra's Pune city, police said on Saturday.

A video of the incident that occurred on Friday surfaced on social media, in which Sunil Kamble, the legislator from Pune Cantonment constituency, hit an on-duty constable at Sassoon General Hospital in Pune.

Based on a complaint lodged by the constable, a case has been registered against Kamble under section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code, an official said.

A programme was organised at the Sassoon General Hospital, where Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was also present.

In the video, Kamble is seen coming down the stairs after the event and slapping a man who came in his way. The person was an on-duty constable attached to the Bundgarden police station, the official said.

Refuting the allegations, Kamble said, "I did not assault anyone. I was coming down the steps when someone came in the way. I pushed him and went ahead."