Kolkata: An FIR has been registered against Bengali actor and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Soham Chakraborty for assaulting a restaurant owner, reported India Today.
The incident took place at a restaurant in Newtown area, where Soham was shooting on Friday night.
Following an argument over parking of his car, Soham got into an altercation with the restaurant’s staff.
CCTV footage from the restaurant shows the actor-politician forcefully pushing restaurant owner Anisur Alam to the ground, kicking and slapping him.
Soham, who later claimed that he lost his cool after Anisur allegedly abused the TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, apologised for his behaviour.
Based on the restaurant owner’s complaint, police booked Soham for voluntarily causing hurt (IPC Section 323), wrongful restraint (IPC Section 341), criminal intimidation (IPC Section 506), and committing a crime with common intention (IPC Section 34).
Soham filed a counter complaint against Anisur, the owner of Kolkata Delight restaurant.
Anisur said he had let Soham shoot on the terrace without any charge.
“His security personnel parked their cars in the parking area. My staff told them to remove them as other customers were not able to park their vehicles,” Anisur claimed.
“His (Soham’s) security told me that he’s an MLA and a close friend of Abhishek Banerjee. I said, ‘I don’t care if he is Narendra Modi’s friend or Abhishek’s.’ Suddenly, Soham came and punched me in my face and kicked me,” the owner alleged.
Soham, on the other hand, alleged that the restaurant owner abused his staff and Abhishek.
“I came down rushing after I heard a scuffle downstairs. I saw that the owner was abusing my staff. He abused me and Abhishek Banerjee. I lost my cool and slapped him,” the actor said.
He admitted as an actor and people’s representative, he should have showed restraint.
“But I am also a human being of flesh and blood… I also have my emotions and lost my cool. I should not have done it,” Soham told local media.