Coronavirus: FIRs against social workers threatening IT companies to close business in Pune

Sumit Singh

Pune, March 23, 2020: Two FIRs were registered by Pune city police against five ‘social workers’ for allegedly barging into premises of two IT companies in Viman Nagar and threatening managers to shut down due to Coronavirus.

Pune District Collector Naval Kishore Ram, who has issued an order clarifying certain categories of companies, industries can function, warned of action against non-government people who try to force close down of companies.

The first incident took place on Thursday, March 19, around 7 pm at Tech Mahindra in Giga Space located in Viman Nagar. Claiming to be social workers Vishakha Gaikwad of Vadgaonsheri, Vijay Gaikwad of Wagholi threatened to kidnap the manager and deploy their team outside the company enforce close down as their Coronavirus outbreak. They also video recorded threatening and circulated video of WhatsApp.

The second incident took place around 1 pm on Saturday at IGT Solutions Pvt Ltd at Mantri Business Park, Nagar Road. Vishakha Gaikwad and three others barged into the office and forcefully closed it and made employees leave the premises.

In both cases, police have invoked sections 448 (trespass), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Vishakha Gaikwad had earlier said that she had received many complaints from people and employees as they feared Coronavirus but the companies had forced them to work in offices instead allow them to work from home.