Andhra IAS Officer Vikas Marmat Faces Assault Charges in Bengaluru
IAS officer Vikas Marmat has been charged with assaulting Bengaluru police during a late-night pub inspection, igniting political tensions in Andhra Pradesh.
Vikas Marmat allegedly assaulted police during a pub inspection in Bengaluru.
The incident has led to a political controversy, with accusations against CM Naidu's government.
Marmat is a 2019-batch IAS officer and currently serves in Kuppam, Naidu's constituency.
An IAS officer from Andhra Pradesh, Vikas Marmat, has been booked for allegedly assaulting police personnel during a late-night inspection at a pub in Bengaluru. The incident occurred around 1:30 AM on October 10 at the Cavore Bar and Restaurant, where police were conducting checks on patrons' identification as part of their routine enforcement. A video purportedly showing Marmat's misconduct has gone viral, further escalating the situation.
The altercation began when police inspector Arun Salunke, who was part of a team directed by the Bengaluru police commissioner, was verifying the ages of customers. Reports indicate that Marmat verbally abused the officers and invoked his status as an IAS officer during the confrontation. Following the incident, Salunke filed a complaint at the Cubbon Park police station, detailing the alleged assault and threats made against him and his team by Marmat and three others.
The complaint alleges that the four individuals involved verbally abused the police staff and obstructed them from performing their duties. Salunke sought medical attention after the incident, which has led to the registration of a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for offenses including assault and criminal intimidation.
Marmat, a 2019-batch IAS officer, currently holds the position of special officer and project director for the Kuppam Area Development Authority (KADA), an area represented by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. In response to the incident, Naidu has ordered an inquiry, directing Chief Secretary Sai Prasad to investigate and report back. The opposition YSR Congress Party has criticized the government, accusing it of shielding Marmat and failing to uphold accountability among officials.
The political ramifications of this incident are significant, as the YSR Congress Party has publicly condemned the behavior of Marmat, suggesting that officials are acting with impunity under Naidu's administration. The situation has gained traction on social media, with users sharing past videos of Marmat discussing civil service preparation, highlighting a perceived hypocrisy in his conduct. As the inquiry unfolds, the implications for both Marmat and the Andhra Pradesh government remain to be seen.
