‘Endangering lives’ — Mumbai Police FIR against Aaditya Thackeray, others for ‘inaugurating’ bridge

Mumbai: The Mumbai Police registered a case in the early hours of Saturday against Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Aaditya Thackeray, former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar, MLCs Sachin Ahir and Sunil Shinde and 20 others for they “illegally” inaugurating a part of the Delisle Bridge in Lower Parel late Thursday evening, without permission.

The First information Report (FIR) was filed on the basis of a complaint by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) employee Purushottam Ingle at the N.M. Joshi Marg police station under Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 149 (liability for unlawful assembly), 336 (endangering life), 447 (criminal trespass) of the Indian Penal Code. ThePrint has a copy of the FIR.

The FIR, however, said a part of the bridge still needed some work before it could be opened to the public.

“Around 9.30 pm, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray and his colleagues removed the barricades placed on the southbound lane, encroached upon the lane and broke a coconut and walked halfway on the southbound lane. Then Thackeray announced that the bridge was open for the public. Because of this, few vehicles went on the bridge, thus endangering the lives of people,” it said.

The Delisle road bridge is a crucial link between south Mumbai and Lower Parel, a commercial hub. The bridge was renovated and had been partially opened earlier in June. The southbound lane, however, was not yet opened. It was this lane that Thackeray ‘inaugurated’.

ThePrint tried reaching BMC spokesperson Tanaji Kamble over the telephone but he did not attend the calls. This report will be updated if he responds. 

Meanwhile, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena also criticised Thackeray, calling his actions a “political gimmick that reeks of entitlement”.

“UBT party scion, MLA Aaditya Thackeray, tried to forcefully open the Delisle Bridge in Lower Parel, for (a) political gimmick. Till date, he has not even opened his own public relations office in his constituency and today he is pretending to be a well-wisher of the public. Aaditya Thackeray’s politics lacks a development core,” said Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande in a WhatsApp message to media. 

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The case 

Late on Thursday, Thackeray, along with former mayors Kishori Pednekar, andSnehal Ambekar and MLCs Sachin Ahir and Sunil Shinde, declared the Delisle bridge in Lower Parel open to the public.

Thackeray said the southbound lane had been ready for the past 10 days but remained closed awaiting VIP inauguration. “This khoke sarkar has no time for inauguration. This road was ready for 10 days but the BMC was awaiting a nod to open it to the public. But we opened it for the public as Mumbaikars were facing hassle everyday,” he said in the press conference in Mumbai. 

“We will not let Mumbai be looted and will fight for Maharashtra. We will not let Maharashtra bow down before anyone. We who are fighting for truth, cases get registered against us but no case is registered against any corrupt official or contractor,” he added.

According to the FIR, BMC officials went to the site around 10 pm and later put the barricades up again and closed the bridge.

“Thackeray and others did not take any prior permission from BMC to open the bridge and they illegally opened up the bridge themselves. As a result, vehicles plied on the under-construction road thus it can cause danger to human lives,” the FIR quotes Ingle’s complaint as saying.

(Edited by Smriti Sinha)

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