Ten BJP workers were arrested on Saturday in connection with an assault on senior Marathi journalist Nikhil Wagle in Pune.
Wagle and others on Friday were en route to attend ‘Nirbhay Bano’ public meeting organised by Rashtra Seva Dal in Dandekar Bridge area of the city, under police protection, when they were assaulted allegedly for the journalist’s remarks on LK Advani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The BJP activists damaged the vehicle carrying him, causing injuries to those onboard.
The complaint was filed by woman who alleged that she and a few others were protecting Wagle’s car even as some BJP workers hurled stones at the vehicle and injured them.
The individuals who are arrested are Deepak Pote, Ganesh Ghosh, Ganesh Sherla, Raghvendra Mankar, Swapnil Naik, Pratik Desarda, Dushyant Mohol, Datta Sagre, Girish Mankar, and Rahul Paygude. They have been booked under IPC sections related to rioting and voluntarily causing grievous hurt.
Meanwhile, the Editors Guild of India urged the Maharashtra government to take stringent action against those responsible.
“We urge law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint before registering complaints against journalists as an FIR, lest the process of investigation becomes a punishment itself,” the Guild said.
Earlier, a case had been registered against Wagle by BJP leader Sunil Deodhar at Vishrambaug police station for his remarks under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 500 (defamation) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief).