Covid norms violation case: BJP MP Somaiya appears before Mumbai police

Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya appeared before the Mumbai Police on Sunday in connection with an FIR registered against him for alleged violation of COVID-19 norms, an official said.

The FIR was registered at suburban Santacruz police station in September last year under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), and the police had issued summons to the BJP leader on Monday to appear before them within 15 days.

On Sunday, Somaiya reached the Santacruz police station where a copy of the FIR was provided to him.

He was asked to file his response within 14 days, the police official said.

Somaiya has been targeting some leaders of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA-comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) in Maharashtra and has accused them of wrongdoings.

The police had registered the FIR against Somaiya last year after he visited state minister Chhagan Bhujbal's bungalow in Hasnabad lane of Santacruz (West).

Somaiya had on Thursday tweeted the summons copy and said the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government/police had registered one more case against him for visiting Bhujbal's "benami" property in Santacruz.