After a video of a man beating up a vegetable seller went viral on social media, the Delhi police registered a case and arrested him on Monday, the police said.
The accused was identified as Praveen Babbar, a resident of Badarpur Extention. He deals in the business of tour and travel, they said.
The matter came to light after the video of the incident went viral and the police received a message on Twitter from the cyber cell in this regard.
The incident took place at Tajpur Road on April 10.
In the video that went viral on social media, a man can be seen asking for the ID card of the vegetable seller. After the seller fails to produce any, the man asks his name and address. When the vendor identifies himself as Mohammad Saleem, the man abuses him and beats him up with a stick. He also threatens him to not come to the locality without an ID card. While analysing the video, the police spotted a motorcycle bearing a Delhi registration number. They contacted the owner who in turn led them to the accused.
The vehicle was found to be registered in the name of one Sudhanshu, a resident of Molarband.
“During investigation, when Mr. Sudhanshu was contacted, he told the police that the incident took place at Tajpur Road and he identified the person who hit the vegetable seller as Babbar,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-East) R.P. Meena.
Mr. Babbar told the police that on the day of the incident, there were about 10 vegetable sellers at the site. He had asked the victim to move as, he said, lockdown had been enforced, but he did not. Furious, he thrashed the victim, he said.
The victim was also traced and he told the police that, around 1.30 p.m. on April 10, when he was at Tajpur Road, Mr. Babbar abused and beat him
A case was registered under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person), 298 (uttering words with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person) and 323 (voluntarily cashing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code at Badarpur police station.