Mumbai: Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam arrested

Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam and party candidate Bharat Parekh were arrested by the Mumbai police and later released on bail under charges of unlawful assembly and rioting at Charkop in suburban Kandivali.

A scuffle broke out Wednesday night after Congress workers and activists from other political parties, who objected to Nirupam and Parekh's presence at the Laljipada slums in Charkop post midnight.

Activists from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that Nirupam distributed cash and liquor to the residents last night. Nirupam, however, refuted the allegations, saying that he had visited slums after receiving information that certain leaders of other parties were threatening people against supporting Parekh, who contests from the constituency.

Nirupam and Parekh were arrested by the Charkop police and were later released after furnishing a cash surety of Rs 950.