Mumbai: Neta abuses, slaps workers in 'public interest', no FIR yet

MUMBAI: A video of NCP corporator Kaptan Malik, brother of cabinet minister Nawab Malik, hurling abuses and slapping contract workers repairing the network of a private power company at Kurla in December, has gone viral on social media. Police are yet to register a case.
While the opposition and netizens have demanded action against the corporator for 'abuse of power', Malik justified his act saying that he assaulted the workers "in public interest".
He claimed he had complained to BMC on several occasions about power supply and fibre optics companies carrying out work on roads dug up for repair and reconstruction without permission. "These companies cause the BMC loss of thousands of crores as they have to pay a fee to dig up roads. In this case, I had warned the workers the previous day against carrying out the work. When I saw them back at the site the next day, I assaulted them."
Civic officials confirmed that they had not issued any permission to the power supply company for the work at Kurla, but refused comment when asked why they did not take action against the power firm.
Demanding action against Mailk BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said: "If the work was being carried out without permission, BMC should take action against the company's contractor; who is Kaptan Malik to assault the workers? He is trying to create terror among contractors for ulterior motives. The government should take criminal action."
Advocate Gayatri Singh said, "The company should file an FIR against corporator for assaulting workers. If the corporator felt that the work was being carried out illegally, he could have approached the authority concerned to stop the work. He cannot beat workers; what example is he setting?"