Min Yashomati, 3 aides convicted for beating up cop, get bail

Amravati: State minister Yashomati Thakur and three of her aides have been sentenced to three months’ rigorous imprisonment for beating a traffic cop on duty eight years ago. The district and sessions court here also imposed a fine of Rs15,500 and another one month’s jail in default of the fine.
The court granted bail to all four and permitted them to approach the higher court. Thakur, who is the women and child development minister and guardian minister, told TOI that she would challenge the verdict in the high court.
Sessions court judge Urmila Joshi (Falke) held Thakur, her driver and two others guilty of beating a cop who had stopped her vehicle which had entered a one-way road. The incident took place around 4.15pm on March 24, 2012, in Chunabhatti area under Rajapeth police station in the city.
According to the charge sheet, the vehicle carrying Thakur, who is a three-time Congress MLA from Teosa, her aides Sagar Khandekar (driver), Sharad Jawanjal and Raju Ingle was stopped by traffic cop Ulhas Raurale from entering Chunabhatti to Gandhi Chowk one-way route. Thakur and her aides alighted from the car and started arguing with Raurale. They allegedly held him by the collar and beat him up.
Raurale lodged a complaint with Rajapeth police against all four. A case was registered under sections 353, 332, 186, 34 and a charge sheet filed after investigation.
The judge examined five witnesses in this case. One of them, a cop, turned hostile during the trial.
Accepting deposition of the witnesses and arguments by the prosecution, the judge found the four guilty. The court also directed Amravati police commissioner to take action against the cop who turned hostile. APP Milind Joshi pleaded the case for the prosecution.
Thakur said, “Being a lawyer myself, I have always respected the judiciary. As such, it will not be proper for me to comment on the judgement. I can only say at this moment that truth shall prevail.”
On the possible demand for her resignation by the opposition BJP, Thakur said, “They have no other work. My fight with the BJP is a battle of thoughts. It is out to end my political life, but I shall continue my fight against the party.”