1 case, 3 different versions

Officials of the Bund Garden police station on Wednesday night arrested 25-year-old Prakash Kuwar, who allegedly overtook the official car of DCP (Zone I) Makarand Ranade and threw a bottle at the windscreen and damaged it.

They said the incident occurred near Maal Dhakka Chowk in Managalwar Peth around 9.15 pm.

Crime scene: The spot at Maal Dhakka Chowk in Managalwar Peth where the incident took place on Wednesday night. Pic/Krunal Gosavi

Kuwar was arrested and booked under IPC sections 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs 50).

However, the version of the incident issued by the officials in a press release seemed contrary to the one given by DCP Ranade. He said, "My driver, PSI Raskar, was returning to Shivajinagar after dropping me off at my residence. While he was on the road near Maal Dhakka Chowk, near DRM office, a drunk man emerged from a roadside iquor shop and threw a bottle at the windscreen and damaged it."

Ranade claimed that he was not inside the car when the incident occurred, and was informed about it by Raskar.

However, a couple of eyewitnesses had a different version of the story that corroborated neither what the press release issued by the police officials said nor DCP Ranade's narration.

One of the witnesses said, "The person emerged from the liquor shop in an inebriated state. At the same time, the car was passing through and dashed into the man. I think the man's elbow must have hit the windscreen hard and damaged it."

The eyewitness added that though the inebriated man collapsed on the road, he somehow managed to get up on his feet and crossed over to the other side of the road. However, a few people got off the vehicle and brought him back to the accident spot.

The second eyewitness claimed there was an officer inside the car when the incident occurred, but he left immediately afterwards in an autorickshaw.

When questioned about the different versions of the same incident, investigating officer from the Bund Garden police station said that he would get back to us on the issue.u00a0