Priti Pathak
A vegetable vendor from Parksite threatens the customers in the name of Rakesh Maria, Ramdas Gaikwad and Suresh Sakpal claiming that his son is their friend. Rakesh Maria is the current Police Commissioner, Gaikwad is the ACP (Assistant Commissioner of Police) and Sakpal is the Senior Inspector of the Parksite Police station, Vikhroli (west).
The vendor Shyamlal Gupta owns a vegetable stall in Chandan Nagar, Powai Road, Vikhroli (West) and his two sons Suresh and Rajesh help him with the business. Suresh who happens to be the President of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Youth Wing has posted group photographs on Facebook of Rakesh Maria, Ramdas Gaikwad and Suresh Sakpal as well as Congress leader Gurudas Kamat. His Facebook status states ‘Dabango ka Dabang’, claiming himself as a stud.
Shyamlal claims, “Parksite ka senior Sakpal mere yahaan se free me bhaji leta hai. Main ACP ki bhi ‘seva’ karta rahta hu. Mera koi kuch nahin bigaad sakta”. There seems to be weight in Shyamlal’s claim and cannot be claimed false as although the Parksite police station registered an FIR against Suresh last week but hasn’t arrested him yet.
ABI had published an article on April 8 under headline ‘Man bashed for refusing to buy costly Shimla-Mirch ’, about Suryaparakash Devnarayan Singh (38) being brutally bashed by Shyamlal, his sons and few others over a petty issue of refusing to buy costly Capsicum. The Parksite Police station registered an FIR against the accused and also arrested Shyamlal along with Rajesh and others but did not dare to arrest Suresh as of yet.
The article stated:
On April 4, Suryaprakash Singh (38) a resident of Vikhroli (west) had gone to buy Capsicum from roadside vendor of vegetables Shyamlal Gupta. Singh inquired about the price Gupta said it was Rs. 10 per 250 grams (i.e. Rs. 40/kg). Singh found it very costly and refused to buy it. When Singh started moving out of the place Gupta passed a comment saying “Tum lukkhha kya bhaji lega. Teri aukat kya Shimla-Mirchi khareedne ki?”. Hearing this Singh turned to Gupta and just asked him why he was abusing after which Shyamlal got agitated and along with Rajesh, Suresh and another man bashed him badly.
“I am a poor man and cannot afford to buy Capsicum worth Rs. 40/kg so I refused to buy on this Gupta along with the others hit me so badly that I have severely injured my ears and nose,” said Singh.
Singh approached the Parksite Police station to register a complaint but the police asked him to leave the police station premises as Gupta is very close to Maria, Gaikwad and Sakpal without registering his complaint. However after 24 hours the police registered an FIR against Shyamlal (55), Rajesh (35), Suresh (30) and others under sections 323, 504, 325 and 34 of IPC. (Copy of the FIR is available with ABI).
The officials Speaks
The officials on this matter have given their opinion. Sakpal said; “We have arrested all the accused and if anybody is found misusing our name we will definitely take action against them.”
Bhagwan Chate the spokesperson of Mumbai Police was not available for comment due to network problems.
Vijay Shukla, the President of INTUC said; “I know Gupta is a leader of our party, but I am unaware of any FIR against him.”