Nagpur: Vedant Chhabria, the main accused in the recent Friendship Day party controversy, has released a video message apologising to Maharashtra Revenue Minister and Nagpur Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Nagpur Police Commissioner, and DCP Zone V Niketan Kadam.
The development comes days after a video from the August 3 “Friends & Beyond” celebration at Eden Greenz on Kamptee Road went viral. In the clip, Chhabria was seen telling police officers, “I will directly talk to Bawankule,” when they arrived to stop loud music and resolve a dispute between guests — an act seen as an attempt to use political influence to avoid action.
Public backlash over the video led Minister Bawankule to intervene personally and direct strict action. Old Kamptee police subsequently booked Chhabria, along with co-accused Ritesh Chandrashekhar Bhadade and Akash Bhanmali Samal, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita (BNS) and the Maharashtra Police Act. Police said the event had violated permission conditions and that the trio obstructed officers in the line of duty.
According to sources, Chhabria had initially left for Mumbai but later issued the apology after the case attracted significant criticism. Police have stated that the video message will not affect the investigation and that proceedings will continue as per law.
Senior officers have welcomed the firm action, reiterating that attempts to misuse political connections to evade the law will not be tolerated.
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