Mumbai Police have initiated proceedings to register non-cognisable offence case has been registered under sections 352 and 115(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), after a video surfaced showing him slapping and punching a canteen staffer at the Maharashtra legislature’s Akashvani MLA Hostel.
The canteen staff had approached Marine Drive police with a complaint shortly after the incident occurred. Following preliminary inquiry, the police registered a non-cognisable offence which means the accused cannot be arrested without prior permission from the court.
In the video, Gaikwad is seen berating the staff over poor food quality, making multiple people, including the canteen contractor, smell a packet of dal before slapping and punching him. The footage triggered widespread outrage and calls for accountability.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis denounced the incident, saying such behaviour sends a "wrong message" about legislators misusing their power, and ordered the police to initiate a probe into the matter.
Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said he had reprimanded Gaikwad over his conduct. "I told him he should have resorted to legal measures like lodging a complaint. What he did was wrong. It cannot be justified, even if he was upset about the food," Shinde said.
Earlier, Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam had said no action could be taken against Gaikwad in the absence of a complaint. However, the police later acted on their own.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended the licence of the canteen contractor following an inspection that found violations of food safety norms.
Unapologetic about his actions, Gaikwad defended himself while speaking to reporters. “I have been staying in the MLA hostel for six years. Lizards and rats were found in the food earlier as well,” he said.
He further invoked Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy to justify his aggression. “If someone doesn’t understand the language of democracy, this is my language. I am a warrior,” Gaikwad said, asserting that he would repeat the act if required.
Gaikwad also courted fresh controversy on Thursday with derogatory remarks against South Indians, questioning their suitability for food supply contracts in Maharashtra.
Speaking to the media, the Buldhana legislator objected to a food contractor with a South Indian surname, saying, “Why was a contractor named Shetty given the contract? Give it to a Marathi person. They know what we eat and will give us good quality food.”
He went further, making inflammatory claims about the South Indian community: “South Indians run dance bars, ladies bars and spoil Maharashtra’s culture. They have corrupted our children. How will they serve good food?”
In the past too, Gaikwad had stoked several controversies.
In September 2024, he announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh for chopping Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's tongue for comments made during his US visit on reservation system. An FIR was registered against Gaikwad following his announcement.
Gaikwad had not spared chief minister Devendra Fadnavis either when he was leader of Opposition during Uddhav Thackeray- led Maha Vikas Aghadi Government. At that time, Gaikwad said that if he gets a hand on coronavirus, he would put it in the mouth of Fadnavis. Gaikwad claimed that he hated Fadnavis so much that he was willing to do it. Fadnavis, he added, was doing dirty politics on pandemic when MVA ministers are working hard.
In August 2024, another video of Gaikwad's SUV being cleaned by Maharashtra police went viral on social media. It was alleged that the Sena MLA had his vehicle cleaned and washed by the police who were deployed for his security. Gaikwad later claimed that the policeman had cleaned the vehicle voluntarily after vomiting inside it.
In February 2024, Gaikwad claimed that he had hunted a tiger in 1987 and had been wearing its tooth around his neck. Soon after, the state Forest department sent the purported tiger tooth for forensic identification and charged Gaikwad under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Addressing the public rally, he openly abused voters, called them prostitutes and accused them of hawking votes for mutton, alcohol, and moolah. He said, even prostitutes are better than the voters who get sold at mere Rs 2000-2500, mutton, and alcohol.
In March 2024, during the Shiv Jayanti procession, he was seen in a viral video beating an young man with a police baton.
(With inputs from Agencies)