Congress MLA booked for ‘abusing’ health officer in Wardha

Congress MLA Ranjit Kamble from Deoli in Wardha was booked on Monday night for allegedly abusing the district health officer.

The doctor, Ajay Dhawale, recorded the 2.2-minute telephonic conversation where Kamble is heard abusing him, said police. Kamble was allegedly angry with Dhawale because the latter did not inform him that RT-PCR tests were being conducted at Nachangaon, which falls in his constituency.

Following a complaint filed by Dhawale, the Wardha police took legal opinion and booked the MLA. Kamble did not respond to calls or messages.

Senior Inspector S M Bandiwar of the Wardha city police station said the FIR was registered under Section 4 (any offender who commits or attempts to commit or incites the commission of any act of violence) of the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2010 and Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

However, Dhawale told The Indian Express that the police are deliberately weakening the case by not booking Kamble under sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 294 (obscene act) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the IPC.