Gujarat MLA booked for allegedly threatening hotel owner

Kandhal Jadeja, Gujarat's lone Nationalist Congress Party MLA, was booked for allegedly threatening a hotel owner following an altercation, Porbandar police said Thursday.

The incident took place Wednesday night outside a hotel on Ranavav Road in Kamlabaug area near Porbandar town, about 400 kilometres from here.

In his complaint to Kamlabaug police, hotel owner Lilabhai Odedara has alleged that Jadeja threatened to kill him following a verbal spat over a minor issue, a senior police official said.

"Odedara has claimed that Jadeja, with around 10 of his supporters, came to the hotel and started abusing him and issued a threat to his life," said Deputy Superintendent of Police J C Kothiya.

"Odedara claimed that Jadeja and others stopped near his roadside hotel and asked him not to sit close to the road. This minor issue led to a verbal spat" the Dy SP added. Jadeja and others were booked under various IPC sections dealing with criminal intimidation (506-2), trespass (443) and verbal abuse (504) and one supporter had been detained for questioning, he said.

Despite repeated attempts, Jadeja could not be contacted for comments. Jadeja represents Kutiyana Assembly constituency in Porbandar district.

(With inputs from agencies.)