An FIR was registered against Swapnil Phaterpekar, the son of local Shiv Sena MLA Prakash Phaterpekar, for allegedly manhandling singer Sonu Nigam and two of his colleagues during a scuffle over taking a selfie with the singer at a musical event in Mumbai’s Chembur on Monday night, police said, according to PTI.
Nigam’s colleague was injured in the incident at the Chembur Gymkhana after the singer’s live performance.
Police said that based on the complaint of Nigam, Chembur police registered an FIR against Swapnil Phaterpekar, the son of local Shiv Sena MLA Prakash Phaterpekar, under Indian Penal Code Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others).
Speaking about the incident, Sonu Nigam said that the motive for filing the police complaint was to warn people not to “forcefully” take selfies.
“After the concert, I was coming down from stage when a man Swapnil Prakash Phaterpekar held me. Then he pushed Hari and Rabbani who came to save me. Then I fell on steps. I filed a complaint so that people should think about forcefully taking selfies and causing scuffle,” the singer told ANI.
Hemrajsingh Rajput, DCP, Zone 6 told news agency that the scuffle occured over taking selfie.
“After the live concert, Sonu Nigam was coming down from the stage when a man held him. After objection, he pushed Sonu Nigam and two other men with him from the steps, and one of those two men sustained injuries,” the DCP said.
He added, “As per interaction with Sonu Nigam, the incident didn’t seem to be intentional, it was done by a single person. The volunteers then controlled the situation. Only one name in FIR. It’s just a case where the singer was held by the accused maybe due to the intention of having photo.”
Nigam’s complaint said after the performance when he and his team left the stage, Phaterpekar came from behind and asked the singer for a selfie. When Nigam’s colleague Hari Prakash tried to stop the accused and took him aside, Phaterperker allegedly manhandled him due to which he fell down from the stage, the complaint read.
The accused then also pushed Nigam due to which he fell down the stairs. Another colleague of Nigam, Rabbani Khan was also allegedly manhandled, who also fell down from the stairs and was injured.
Khan was later taken to a private hospital in Chembur.
Nigam went to the Chembur police station in the early hours of Tuesday and filed the complaint.