Surat: The city police on Friday noon apprehended Vipul Suhagiya, a corporator of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for allegedly assaulting a staff member at SMIMER hospital. Following Suhagiya’s arrest, who represents the Puna East ward, a significant number of AAP supporters protested outside the Varachha police station, claiming that the arrest was politically motivated.

According to the complaint, A lengthy queue had formed at SMIMER hospital’s Ayushman Bharat cardholders’ counter due to the absence of Vipul Rana, the staff member in charge. To expedite the process, Rana asked his colleague Rahul Patel to help at his window until he returned. However, while Patel was assisting patients at Rana’s window, Suhagiya entered and scolded Patel for the long queue and what he perceived as inefficiency. Suhagiya then slapped Patel near his left ear. Hospital security and staff promptly intervened, escorting Suhagiya out of the cabin. Patel received medical attention at the hospital and filed a complaint with the Varachha police on Thursday.

Suhagiya was arrested on Thursday evening, booked for obstructing a government employee from performing his duties and assaulting Patel. Inspector Alpesh Gabani of the Varachha police station explained, “Suhagiya was booked under IPC Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504, 506 (2) (criminal intimidation), and 186, 332 (causing hurt to deter a public servant from doing his duty).”

According to Patel’s complaint, the AAP corporator was irate because Patel had declined to engage in a conversation with Suhagiya over the phone when a patient handed his phone to Patel after dialing the corporator’s number.

Later, the AAP councilor Vipul Suhagiya was granted bail and released, and the other 23 individuals who were detained for protesting against the police’s actions were also released around 2:30 am on Friday. DeshGujarat