Offences under the Atrocity Act were registered against 16 personnel, including two senior officers, of the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) for allegedly harassing a security guard, police said on Thursday.
The case was filed with Bazarpeth police station in Kalyan last night, under various sections of IPC and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and under sections 7 and 10 of the Civil Rights Act, a police release said.
Additionally, they have been charged with sections 7 and 10 of the Protection of Civil Rights Act.
Those against whom the charges are filed include two doctors and six security guards, besides the DMC S R Pawar and Assistant Municipal Commissioner (AMC) Vinay Kulkarni.
The offences were registered on the complaint of Ramesh Pailukar, a security guard with KDMC, who is currently under suspension.
Pailukar had stated in his complaint that he was harassed by the civic personnel during last five years till January 2013 because he belonged to a backward caste.
He alleged that these personnel hatched a conspiracy against him.
Pailukar also alleged that he was thrashed by some of the employees and was thrown on railway tracks, the release said quoting his complaint.
Pailukar said that a departmental inquiry was ordered against him with the sole motive of harassing him and he has been placed under suspension.
The release further said that the case was being investigated by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dombivali division, and no arrest has been made so far.
None of the concerned officials was available for comment.
