Ex NSCI Chairman punched in the face by incessant honker
Former chairman of National Sports Club of India (NSCI) and well-known Pedder Road dentist Dr. Shyam Nichani has alleged that he was punched in the face by a motorist on Sunday for objecting to the incessant honking issuing from the other’s car.
While investigators are yet to name the attacker, the 65-yearold dentist, who said the jab left him with a bleeding ear, has identified him as Prashant Shah, Chief Executive Officer of Flag Corporation, one of the largest manufacturers of the tricolour in the country.
Inspector Sahadu Varal of Tardeo Police Station told Mumbai Mirror Dr. Nichani’s complaint accusing the motorist of assault and intimidation was recorded the day the incident occurred.
While the flag maker is yet to respond to the allegations, his son Gyan has posted his father’s version of events on Dr. Nichani’s Action Group, maintaining that the CEO is innocent.
According to the dentist, the assault occurred outside the NSCI’s gates, in Worli. “I left the club around 8 pm on Sunday and was driving (his Honda City) out of the exit gate when I came across a water tanker parked on the side,” he told Mumbai Mirror. “The tanker was blocking the gate, so I asked the security guard to request the driver to move it. While I was waiting for the tanker to move, the driver of the car behind me, a Volkswagen, started honking incessantly.”
Perturbed, Dr. Nichani gestured to the motorist to calm down. “He continued to honk. He then got out of the car and banged on my bonnet, asking me to move. I got out and told him that I would move my car when the tanker gave me some room. At this, the man landed a punch on my left ear,” he said. Dr. Nichani said he returned to his car and “sat in a state of shock” for about a minute. When the tanker pulled out, the dentist clicked a picture of his attacker’s registration plate – MH 04 EX 6126.
“I realised that I was bleeding from my ear and decided to go to Tardeo station. My assailant then drew level with me and attempted to bully me off the road as I drove to the police station,” he said.
Dr. Nichani registered a non-cognisable complaint under sections 323 (assault) and 504 (intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
On Tuesday Dr. Nichani recounted the incident to his friends. Two of them, Viren Shah, who owns Roopam store in Crawford Market, and Nisha Soni, found that the car was registered to Shah, at his Bhiwandi address. Meanwhile they sought help from NSCI staff, who allowed them access to CCTV footage, which revealed that the car had dropped off an unidentified woman at the club. While scouring social media networks for a matching likeness of the woman, the two men stumbled upon Shah’s picture. “The name Prashant L Shah led us to a few profiles and we showed the photographs to Dr. Nichani. Of the several profiles, Dr Nichani positively identified Shah,” said Viren Shah.
When Mumbai Mirror rang Prashant Shah, his son Gyan answered the phone. He said he was aware of the incident and promised to have his father call back. At the time this edition went to press, Shah had yet to respond to our request for his version of the events.
Late in the evening, his son posted a message on Dr. Nichani’s Action Team: “There was sufficient space for the Honda City, driven by Mr. Nichani to pass parallel to the tanker that was parked, which is why my father was honking for him to pass through instead of waiting unnecessarily. In spite of honking a few times, the car was not willing to move ahead. Then Mr. Nichani got out of his car and started howling at my father who was seated inside his vehicle, and then in agitation, banged his hand on my father’s bonnet, sides and then finally on the driver side window.
Surprised by such behaviour, my father rolled down his window and asked him what nonsense was he up to? To which Mr. Nichani used absolutely foul and abusive language and screamed at him, and then finally twisted my father’s wrist and arm in anger. Mr. Nichani provoked my father by initiating a physical assault on him and to counter his attacking him, and in order to prevent Mr. Nichani from further assaulting him, my father in turn had to use his force on him, which unfortunately may have led (him) to hit his ear, which was obviously accidental and unintentional. It may also be important to add that my father too, has had severe pain in his wrist and his hand is swollen due to this very incident.... Anyway, on behalf of my father and myself, my sincere apologies to Mr. Nichani about the incident that occurred. It is indeed unfortunate that both parties have to suffer in this way.”
While investigators are yet to name the attacker, the 65-yearold dentist, who said the jab left him with a bleeding ear, has identified him as Prashant Shah, Chief Executive Officer of Flag Corporation, one of the largest manufacturers of the tricolour in the country.
Inspector Sahadu Varal of Tardeo Police Station told Mumbai Mirror Dr. Nichani’s complaint accusing the motorist of assault and intimidation was recorded the day the incident occurred.
Meanwhile, NSCI, according to insiders, was abuzz with news of the assault after it occurred and a coterie of Dr. Nichani’s friends took it upon themselves to trace the offending motorist, organising search efforts and exchanging notes on a Facebook page titled Dr. Nichani’s Action Group. A member of the faction said the dentist took a picture of his assailant’s car registration plate, which led them to Shah. Dr. Nichani pointed out that the CEO was his attacker when he was shown a picture of Shah on a social networking site.
While the flag maker is yet to respond to the allegations, his son Gyan has posted his father’s version of events on Dr. Nichani’s Action Group, maintaining that the CEO is innocent.
According to the dentist, the assault occurred outside the NSCI’s gates, in Worli. “I left the club around 8 pm on Sunday and was driving (his Honda City) out of the exit gate when I came across a water tanker parked on the side,” he told Mumbai Mirror. “The tanker was blocking the gate, so I asked the security guard to request the driver to move it. While I was waiting for the tanker to move, the driver of the car behind me, a Volkswagen, started honking incessantly.”
Perturbed, Dr. Nichani gestured to the motorist to calm down. “He continued to honk. He then got out of the car and banged on my bonnet, asking me to move. I got out and told him that I would move my car when the tanker gave me some room. At this, the man landed a punch on my left ear,” he said. Dr. Nichani said he returned to his car and “sat in a state of shock” for about a minute. When the tanker pulled out, the dentist clicked a picture of his attacker’s registration plate – MH 04 EX 6126.
“I realised that I was bleeding from my ear and decided to go to Tardeo station. My assailant then drew level with me and attempted to bully me off the road as I drove to the police station,” he said.
Dr. Nichani registered a non-cognisable complaint under sections 323 (assault) and 504 (intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
On Tuesday Dr. Nichani recounted the incident to his friends. Two of them, Viren Shah, who owns Roopam store in Crawford Market, and Nisha Soni, found that the car was registered to Shah, at his Bhiwandi address. Meanwhile they sought help from NSCI staff, who allowed them access to CCTV footage, which revealed that the car had dropped off an unidentified woman at the club. While scouring social media networks for a matching likeness of the woman, the two men stumbled upon Shah’s picture. “The name Prashant L Shah led us to a few profiles and we showed the photographs to Dr. Nichani. Of the several profiles, Dr Nichani positively identified Shah,” said Viren Shah.
When Mumbai Mirror rang Prashant Shah, his son Gyan answered the phone. He said he was aware of the incident and promised to have his father call back. At the time this edition went to press, Shah had yet to respond to our request for his version of the events.
Late in the evening, his son posted a message on Dr. Nichani’s Action Team: “There was sufficient space for the Honda City, driven by Mr. Nichani to pass parallel to the tanker that was parked, which is why my father was honking for him to pass through instead of waiting unnecessarily. In spite of honking a few times, the car was not willing to move ahead. Then Mr. Nichani got out of his car and started howling at my father who was seated inside his vehicle, and then in agitation, banged his hand on my father’s bonnet, sides and then finally on the driver side window.
Surprised by such behaviour, my father rolled down his window and asked him what nonsense was he up to? To which Mr. Nichani used absolutely foul and abusive language and screamed at him, and then finally twisted my father’s wrist and arm in anger. Mr. Nichani provoked my father by initiating a physical assault on him and to counter his attacking him, and in order to prevent Mr. Nichani from further assaulting him, my father in turn had to use his force on him, which unfortunately may have led (him) to hit his ear, which was obviously accidental and unintentional. It may also be important to add that my father too, has had severe pain in his wrist and his hand is swollen due to this very incident.... Anyway, on behalf of my father and myself, my sincere apologies to Mr. Nichani about the incident that occurred. It is indeed unfortunate that both parties have to suffer in this way.”
