Showing posts with label Prakash Phatarpekar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prakash Phatarpekar. Show all posts
Just because someone is a celebrity doesn’t mean he has to be coerced for selfies-Sonu Nigam
8:25 AM
S Ahmed Ali & Bella Jaisinghani | TNN (THE TIMES OF INDIA; February 22, 2023)
Mumbai: The Chembur police have registered an offence under IPC sections of assault, negligence and wrongful restraint against Swapnil Phaterpekar, son of Shiv Sena MLA (Uddhav Thackeray faction) Prakash Phaterpekar, and others, for manhandling singer Sonu Nigam and his team Monday night.
After Nigam finished his performance at the Chembur Festival, Swapnil, whose family had organized the event, insisted on taking a selfie with him. He got into a scuffle with the singer, his friend Rabbani Khan and bodyguard Hariprakash. Nigam was pushed and fell on the steps while Rabbani was thrown off the stage.
On Tuesday, police collected CCTV footage of the event. “We have started investigation by gathering digital evidence, that is CCTV footage. After studying that, we will start calling witnesses and issue summons to Swapnil this week,” said an officer.
Nigam told TOI, “It was a close shave for me and Hariprakash, my bodyguard, but a very bad fall for Rabbani. A flat-on-your-back fall from a height of 7 feet like this, could have been fatal. Madness!”
Nigam highlighted the growing menace of selfie-obsessed fans who become ag-gressive when celebrities do not fulfil their demand. He said, “I am very keen on knowing what the law does in open-and-shut cases like this. Do they make us regret the decision of filing a legitimate complaint against hooliganism like this? Just because someone is a celebrity doesn’t mean he has to be obligated and subjected to anyone’s coercion for selfies and videos. That too in such a violent way.”
Meanwhile, the attacker’s sister Suprada, daughter of MLA Phaterpekar, apologized to Nigam on Twitter. She is the organizer of the event, and a member of the state’s women’s commission. The Indian Singers’ Rights Association condemned the attack.
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Soumya Vajpayee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 22, 2023)
Sonu Nigam’s musical evening in Mumbai on Monday night took an unfortunate turn when Swapnil Prakash Phaterpekar, a political leader, allegedly barged in and manhandled the singer and his team. When singer Rabbani Mustafa Khan (Nigam’s guru, Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan’s son) came to his rescue, he too was pushed off the stage.
“Around 10 pm, some men from Shiv Sena pushed audience members and made their way backstage. They misbehaved with Sonu and pushed my husband off the stage. He was rushed to the hospital,” says Namrata Gupta Khan, Rabbani’s wife. “How could such an unfortunate incident take place at a concert of Sonu Nigam, who is known for being so cordial with his fans?” she adds.
“I fell on the steps. Rabbani, who tried to save me, was pushed from behind. He could have died. I filed a complaint because people must think about it when they force someone to take a selfie. Some people are just so unfair when it comes to asking for selfies and pictures. There was no other reason he’d behave so aggressively,” Nigam tells us.
Festival organizer Suprada Phaterpekar tweeted, “While Shri Sonu Nigam was being ushered off the stage after his performance. my brother was trying to take a selfie with him... The person who fell was taken to Zen hospital & was discharged after examination. Shri Sonu Nigam is unhurt... We have officially apologized to Sonu sir & his team for the incident. Please do not believe baseless rumours and those trying to politicize the matter. (sic)”
Sonu Nigam attacked by MLA Prakash Phatarpekar’s ‘selfie-seeker’ son
8:52 AM
Singer Sonu Nigam filing FIR at Chembur police station on Monday
S Ahmed Ali & Bella Jaisinghani | TNN (THE TIMES OF INDIA; February 21, 2023)
Mumbai: Singer Sonu Nigam and his team were manhandled by Swapnil Phatarpekar, the son of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) MLA Prakash Phatarpekar, at a music event in Chembur late Monday evening.
Nigam told TOI, “I am okay, but my brother (friend Rabbani Khan) is hurt. And my bodyguard is hurt.” Rabbani is the son of the late guru of Indian classical music Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan whose students include the who’s who of playback singing from Lata Mangeshkar to Hariharan and Nigam himself.
The incident, which was captured on camera, took place after Swapnil Phatarpekar, son of MLA Phatarpekar, insisted on taking a selfie with the singer. Nigam’s team did not recognize him. This led to a scuffle as Swapnil and his supporters manhandled Nigam and his team as the singer was leaving the stage.
A video of the incident went viral. The stage was dimly lit and one person is seen pushing another off the stage. Rabbani told TOI, “The attack was sudden and without provocation. This person whom we do not know, approached Sonu ji for a selfie. When his bodyguard resisted, the man pushed him off the stage. Then he came towards Sonu. As Sonu ji caught my hand, the attacker threw me off stage too. I fell from a height of eight feet. I landed on my spine.”
Rabbani was treated as an outpatient at a local Chembur hospital and discharged. “My X-ray reports are awaited. The pain is immense and I hope there are no internal injuries,” he said.
Rabbani’s brother Murtuza, the eldest son of Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, was upset by the attack. He said, “This should not happen with artistes. They are not involved in politics. It could have been worse. I am thankful to the Almighty that my brother is okay.”
MLA Phatarpekar did not answer calls or messages seeking comment. Swapnil has previously been involved in controversy. In April 2022, the BJP had alleged that he was behind a midnight incident of stone pelting after their ‘Pol Khol’ rathyatra against corruption.
Chembur police confirmed the incident and were verifying the sequence of events and recording statements. They later began the process of registering an offence against the MLA’s son and his supporters.
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