MUMBAI, July 25: Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Chhagan Bhujbal today issued a legal notice to Rajendra Agarwal alias Gupta, who in an affidavit had alleged that Bhujbal had asked him to desecrate the statue of Ambedkar in Ghatkopar.

Bhujbal's lawyer has demanded an unconditional written apology from Agarwal by way of publishing it all the leading newspapers within five days from receiving the notice.

The legal notice has been sent to Shahada in Dhule district from where Agarwal hails.

Meanwhile in Dhule, the police confirmed that five criminal cases, including one case under the Prevention of Atrocities to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, Act, had been filed against Rajendra Agarwal.

Commenting on the list of cases submitted by Bhujbal in Mumbai against Agarwal, an official, on condition of anonymity, said that four cases had been filed at the Shahada police station and three at the Mhaswad police station.

The official said that one case had been registered under the Atrocities Act against Agarwal in 1991 (Crime Register No.189/91). The other cases are: preventing a public servant from discharging his duties, section 353 (CR No.73/87); criminal trespass, section 452 of IPC (CR No. 92/88) and robbery, section 394 (CR No.66/92). All the four cases have been filed by Shahada police.

The three cases filed by Mhaswad police are: CR No.8/93 under section 3/25 of the Arms Act; CR No. 9/93 under section 39 of the Electricity Act; and CR No. 17/93 under the Essential Commodities Act.

Bhujbal had submitted a list of over a dozen cases filed against Agarwal, to the state governor yesterday. The zilla parishad president of Dhule, Chandrakant Raghuvanshi, issued a statement last night condemning Agarwal for lodging a false affidavit with the Mumbai police commissioner recently, to malign Bhujbal's image.

Agarwal had accused Bhujbal of masterminding the desecration of the Dr Ambedkar's statue in Ghatkopar a few weeks ago which had led to the riots in the city, claiming that the latter had asked him to do it, but he had refused.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.