An counsel defending Mayor Murlidhar Mohol claimed on Thursday that a court in Pune has postponed its decision asking the police to file a case against him under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
On Wednesday, Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Janhavi Kelkar issued an order instructing the police to file a FIR under section 156 (3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in connection with the alleged crime.
Previously, a man filed a FIR under relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, saying that Mr Mohol and three others, including a contractor, planned to demolish public toilets in a slum in Bhimnagar, Kothrud, which the latter represents as corporator.
Mr Mohol’s lawyer, SK Jain, said he filed an application requesting a stay on the court’s decision, which was granted on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Mr Mohol denied the charges, claiming that the toilet block was legally removed by the Pune Municipal Corporation because it was blocking a DP route.
Mr Mohol stated that while all of the residents of the area had been rehabilitated through SRA programmes, one person refused to migrate and was using the complainant to have him arrested under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Mr Mohol continued, “The demolition of bathrooms and other facilities is part of administrative job, and I have nothing to do with it.”
