Guj MLA booked for criminal intimidation

Congress MLA from Dang district in Gujarat was booked today for alleged criminal intimidation on an FIR lodged by a forest official, police said.
Forester Shankar Bhoye, who was on patrolling duty in Dang, stated in his FIR that MLA Mangal Gavit, accompanied by around 12 locals, tried to prevent him from discharging his duty as a public servant.
The incident occurred in the reserve forest area of the tribal-dominated district yesterday when the forester intercepted a truck allegedly carrying stones from a riverbed without valid documents, police said quoting the FIR.
Bhoye said the locals and the MLA tore up the documents in his possession and also threatened him.

Confirming the development, Vaghai police sub-inspector M Z Patel told PTI that police have booked Gavit and 12 others on Bhoye's complaint and will arrest them soon.
"They have been booked under Section 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public function), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and 506 (1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code," he said.