Jitendra Awhad booked for molesting woman in Thane

48 hours after getting bail in a case pertaining to a ruckus at a Thane multiplex, former housing minister Jitendra Awhad has again landed in trouble. This time, the police have booked him on molestation charges for allegedly pushing a female Bharatiya Janata Party worker during chief minister Eknath Shinde’s visit to the city on Sunday.

According to the complainant, on November 13, when Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had come to inaugurate the Mumbra-Shilphata Y-Junction flyover, the NCP leader held her hand and pushed her aside when she was on her way to meet the CM along with other people. Police are investigating the case on the basis of the woman's statement and video. 

Late on Sunday night, the 40-year-old woman, a social worker from Mumbra, filed a complaint alleging that while Awhad was moving through the crowd, he pushed her touching her shoulders in an inappropriate way and said ‘why are you standing in the middle?’ The woman allegedly went to Mumbra police station soon after meeting the CM.Officials of Mumbra police station confirmed that a case under section 354 (molestation) of the IPC had been registered against Awhad. The MLA’s lawyer moved a city court for anticipatory bail which asked the police not to take action until the hearing on Tuesday.