Deshpande, who was elected as a corporator in 2012, had recently contested the Assembly election from Mahim against Shiv Sena’s Sada Sarvankar. Deshpande, who was elected as a corporator in 2012, had recently contested the Assembly election from Mahim against Shiv Sena’s Sada Sarvankar.

MNS LEADER Sandeep Deshpande and three others were arrested Friday for allegedly assaulting BMC officials in Shivaji Park. The incident allegedly took place after BMC staff removed kandeel (Diwali lantern) and flags put up by MNS to greet people on the occasion of Diwali.

BMC officials said that on Friday afternoon, former corporator Deshpande, along with other MNS workers, broke into an argument with Kiran Dighavkar, the assistant municipal commissioner of G North (Dadar, Shivaji Park), and ward officials after the kandeel and flags were removed from Shivaji Park.

Following this, Dighavkar filed a complaint with the Shivaji Park police against Deshpande.

In his complaint, Dighavkar said, “On Friday, we were removing political flags, kandeel and banners from Dadar and Shivaji Park. Deshpande called me and asked me to stop this… Later, he arrived at Chaityabhumi and entered into an argument (with us). During the conversation, he started abusing me and my staff.”

On the basis of Dighavkar’s complaint, Deshpande and three others were arrested on charges including criminal intimidation, assault and unlawful assembly under the Indian Penal Code. “They were produced in court and have been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days,” said an officer from Shivaji Park police.

Deshpande, who was elected as a corporator in 2012, had recently contested the Assembly election from Mahim against Shiv Sena’s Sada Sarvankar.

He lost by a margin of around 20,000 votes.

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