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According to the Sahar police, Raut, along with other 500 workers of Shiv Sena had descended on the hotel and vandalised the reception and lobby area. They damaged the glass doors and other furniture of the hotel worth around Rs 18 lakh. Senior Police Inspector Dilip Patil, Sahar police station, said, “The act of vandalism was allegedly to protest against the hotel management’s decision to sack 21 employees of the hotel on January 21.”
As per Patil, a case of rioting was registered against those who vandalised the hotel. “On the same day, we arrested 42 persons who were part of the mob. Later, on January 25, we arrested 11 more men for rioting. On Tuesday, we arrested three men including Suryakant Mahadik, Sanjay Raut and Tukaram Nikam.”
After the arrest, Raut was produced before the court and was sent to judicial custody till February 5. However, a battery of lawyers appearing for Raut and two others to be arrested immediately moved a bail plea. The court granted bail on a personal bond of Rs 5000.
Raut along with Bhartiya Kamgar Sena’s (BKS) chief Suryakant Mahadik and ex-councillor Tukaram Nikam were booked under the IPC sections related to rioting and instigation.
Raut’s lawyers contended that presence of a person at the crime spot did not make him an offender. “The organisation had much in advance written a letter to the Sahar police intimating them that it would organise a peace march on January 21. The police neither rejected nor granted permission. What happened at the spot was more of a mob violence which was not instigated by any one,” said Advocate Manohar Nayak appearing for the 3 accused.
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