New Delhi: An Andhra Pradesh-cadre IAS officer, Vikas Marmat, has been booked for allegedly assaulting and abusing police personnel during a late-night inspection at a Bengaluru pub. A video allegedly showing the officer misbehaving has since gone viral, while the incident has also triggered a political row in Andhra Pradesh.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has reportedly ordered an inquiry, while the opposition YSR Congress Party has accused his government of shielding the officer.
The alleged altercation took place around 1.30 am on 10 October at Cavore Bar and Restaurant on Residency Road, under the jurisdiction of Cubbon Park police station.
Police inspector Arun Salunke, attached to the Central Crime Branch’s Special Enquiry Wing, was inspecting pubs and restaurants in the area on the directions of the Bengaluru police commissioner. His team was checking patrons’ identity cards to verify their ages when the argument allegedly broke out.
A purported video of the incident circulating on social media appears to show Marmat hurling abuses at police personnel. Reports say Marmat also alluded to his position as an IAS officer during the confrontation. The term ‘IAS’ can be heard in the video, though it is unclear who says it.
Salunke subsequently filed a complaint at Cubbon Park police station, accusing Marmat and three others of assaulting, abusing and threatening police personnel and obstructing them from carrying out their duties.
“Four individuals who came to the bar got into a fight over a trivial matter. They verbally abused the complainant and his fellow staff,” the complaint stated.
Salunke reportedly sought medical treatment following the alleged assault before approaching the police station to file the complaint.
The case has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including those relating to voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation and assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty.
Political row
Marmat is a 2019-batch IAS officer who currently serves as special officer and project director of the Kuppam Area Development Authority (KADA) in Andhra Pradesh. Kuppam is Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s constituency.
According to an Andhra Jyothy report, Naidu has directed Chief Secretary Sai Prasad to investigate the incident and submit a report.
The opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), meanwhile, has attacked Naidu over the incident, accusing his government of protecting officials accused of misconduct.
“Officers expected to set an example are behaving worse than goons, confident that Chandrababu will protect them,” YSRCP spokesperson Bhumana Karunakar Reddy said in a statement.
An IIT Kanpur alumnus, Marmat has over 75,000 followers on Instagram, where his bio describes him as a pianist, author, swimmer and poet, among other things.
Since the incident, an old video of Marmat talking about preparing for the civil services examination has also been circulating on X, with users mocking his advice on discipline.
“Sir is an IIT Kanpur alumnus. Sir delivers lectures on discipline,” read one such post.
Photographs of Marmat with Chandrababu Naidu are also being widely shared on X