2016 teachers’ assault case: Court denies relief to Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde

A Mumbai court has rejected the discharge plea filed by city Mayor and BJP corporator Ritu Tawde in connection with a 2016 case involving the alleged assault of two school teachers observing that there is sufficient material on record to proceed with framing of charges reported news agency PTICourt finds sufficient evidence to frame chargesAdditional Sessions Judge YP Manathka in an order passed on Tuesday held that the statements of the victims along with those of other witnesses clearly indicate Tawdersquos alleged involvement in the incident reported PTIldquoThe victims have categorically named the applicant as the person who assaulted themrdquo the court noted adding that such evidence is adequate at this stage to proceed with the trialIncident dates back to 2016 school disputeThe case pertains to an incident that took place on July 29 2016 at a civicrun Urdu medium school in the Vakola area of MumbaiAccording to the prosecution the dispute arose over the sudden transfer of a female teacher who was reportedly undergoing treatment for cancer The issue led to tensions between the school management and those opposing the transfer reported PTIAllegations of assault and abuseThe prosecution alleged that Tawde along with six others entered the school premises and engaged in a heated argument with the management over the transfer decision reported PTIDuring the altercation the accused allegedly used abusive language and physically assaulted two teachers Police claimed that the victims were slapped during the incidentAn FIR in the case was registered on August 11 2016Defence cites delay and denies involvementIn her plea seeking discharge Tawde argued that her presence at the school was coincidental and unrelated to the alleged incident The defence also pointed to a 13day delay in registering the FIR describing it as unexplained reported PTITawde further claimed that the complaint was motivated and that her political position was used to give prominence to what she termed a personal grievanceShe alleged that the complainant acted with malice and ulterior motives to falsely implicate her in the caseProsecution stresses seriousness of incidentOpposing the discharge plea the prosecution argued that the statements of the victims clearly establish Tawdersquos role in the alleged assaultIt further emphasised that the incident took place within a school a space meant for learning and discipline making the alleged act particularly serious reported PTICourt dismisses plea trial to proceedAfter considering submissions from both sides the court concluded that the available evidence including consistent witness accounts was sufficient to frame charges reported PTIDismissing the plea the court ruled that the case should proceed to trial where the evidence will be examined in detailWith inputs from PTI