Nagpur: The District and Sessions Court in Nagpur has imposed a total fine of ₹10,500 on a 40-year-old man for verbally abusing and assaulting an engineer from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL). The court also ordered imprisonment if the fine is not paid.
The accused, identified as Sheikh Chhotesaheb Sheikh Nawab, a resident of Baba Faridnagar, Kharbi, was found guilty of slapping and abusing Assistant Engineer Harish Mungse on April 28, 2023, within the jurisdiction of the Wathoda Police Station.
According to the case details, Mungse, employed at MSEDCL’s Kharbi office, was confronted by the accused, who claimed he had received a call from the power company regarding a meter replacement. A dispute broke out between the accused and the office staff, prompting Mungse to intervene. The situation escalated, leading to verbal abuse and a physical assault on the engineer.
Wathoda Police subsequently booked the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 353 (assault on a public servant), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant), 186 (obstructing public servant), 504 (intentional insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation).
Presiding Judge N.R. Talekar convicted the accused under IPC Sections 353, 332, and 186. The court imposed the following fines:
₹5,000 under Section 353, with one month of simple imprisonment in case of non-payment.
₹5,000 under Section 352 for using criminal force, with one month of imprisonment if unpaid.
₹500 under Section 186, with a default sentence of one week’s imprisonment.
The court also cancelled the bail previously granted to the accused.
This ruling reinforces the legal protection granted to public servants and underscores the consequences of interfering with their duties.