Sadavarte arrested in connection with MSRTC employees' protest outside Pawar's house

Hours after a protest outside NCP chief Sharad Pawar's residence here, police on Friday evening arrested advocate Gunaratna Sadavarte who claims to represent the striking employees of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), an official said.

The fierce protest staged by a group of over 100 MSRTC workers outside Pawar's bungalow `Silver Oak' in the afternoon when the NCP chief was at home took police by surprise.

After dispersing the protesters, a case of rioting, unlawful assembly, assault and criminal conspiracy was registered at Gamdevi police station.

Sadavarte, who was not present at the protest site, had been detained for questioning regarding his role in instigating the workers, police had said earlier. So far he is the only person to be arrested in the case, said the police official. Thousands of MSRTC workers are on strike since November last year for demands including the merger of the cash-strapped corporation with the Maharashtra government.