Ex-NCP MLA Ramesh Kadam accused of threatening jail's medical officer in 2016 acquitted by special court

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A special court in Mumbai on Friday acquitted former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Ramesh Kadam, who was accused of threatening and abusing the chief medical officer of Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail in 2016.

At the time of the incident, Kadam was in judicial custody at the jail following his arrest in a corruption case, newswire PTI reported.

Special judge R N Rokade acquitted Kadam of charges under sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and relevant provisions of the Medical Services Act.

The detailed order has not been made available.

"The accused had raised a voice against the corrupt practices of the then jail administration. Hence, he has been falsely implicated in different cases," claimed Kadam's lawyer Prakash Salsingikar.

As per the case details, the former Member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly had allegedly abused and threatened to kill the chief medical officer of Arthur Road Jail at the prison's superintendent's office in 2016, as he was upset that a security guard was not available to accompany him to a hospital.

Based on the doctor's complaint, the police had registered a case against the former legislator.

However, the doctor turned hostile while deposing before the court during the trial in January this year.

Jailer at Pune's Yerawada prison assaulted by 12 inmates, suffers wrist fracture

Meanwhile, a jailer was injured after he was assaulted allegedly by some inmates of the Yerawada central prison in Pune, an official said said on Friday.

Jailer Sherkhan Pathan sustained injuries on his face and fractured his wrist in the attack that took place on Thursday morning, he said. "When Pathan was on duty in the jail's Circle I area, he was assaulted by inmates Prakash Renuse, Vickey Kamble and 10 others. A case has been registered and a probe is underway," he added.

In December 2023, a 27-year-old undertrial lodged in Yerawada prison died after he was allegedly attacked by four inmates over past enmity. (With inputs from agencies)