Gujarat: AAP MLA Vasava, eight others get 7 years for assaulting forest officials

A Sessions court on Tuesday sentenced Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Chaitar Vasava, his wife and seven others to seven years’ imprisonment in a November 2023 case of assaulting forest officials and extortion.

Additional sessions judge A V Hirpara also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on each of them, Government lawyer Vandana Bhatt said.

The accused included four women, including Shakuntala Vasava, the MLA’s wife. As per the prosecution, the incident took place on October 30, 2023. Forest officials removed a cotton crop cultivated on illegally occupied government land, which led to a dispute. The officials were then called to Vasava’s residence at Dediapada in Narmada district to discuss the issue.

At his residence, Vasava, a tribal leader who represents Dediapada (ST) assembly constituency, threatened the officials, slapped one of them, and fired in the air from a pistol. The accused, including Vasava’s wife, extorted a total of Rs 60,000 from forest officials for removing the crop, and Vasava later destroyed the evidence by concealing or disposing of the pistol, the police said.

Vasava’s personal assistant, Jitendra Vasava, was accused of contacting the MLA over the phone and asking him to come to collect the extortion money.

A case was registered against the MLA, his wife and seven others under Indian Police Code (IPC) sections related to rioting, extortion and attack on government officials as well as provisions of the Arms Act.

Charges were framed on August 7, 2025.

“A total of 17 prosecution witnesses were examined during the trial, along with several pieces of documentary evidence, and all the witnesses supported our case. We sought the maximum sentence of 10 years, arguing that an elected representative is expected to pursue lawful remedies rather than resort to violence, and no individual is above the law,” special public prosecutor Amit Nair said.

During the trial, Nair argued that witness testimonies, documentary evidence, call records and bank statements established the accused’s involvement.

He also cited other recent First Information Reports naming Vasava for offences such as assault and creation of public disorder, contending that they reflected a pattern of similar conduct.

At the stage of final arguments, Vasava’s lawyers sought the recall of certain prosecution witnesses, but the sessions court rejected the plea.  An appeal against the ruling was rejected by the Gujarat High Court on May 7, 2026, and by the Supreme Court on May 19.

The accused then filed an application seeking permission to examine defence witnesses, despite having chosen not to do so earlier. This application too was rejected by the Sessions court and later by the high court.

The AAP MLA was arrested on July 5, 2025, under section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for an attempt to murder after he allegedly attacked a taluka panchayat president during a meeting. While granting him bail last September, the high court laid down a condition that he shall not enter Dediapada taluka for a year.

In April 2026, three FIRs were registered against Vasava and some other local leaders at Jhagadia GIDC police station in Bharuch district after he slapped and was in turn slapped by a person at a factory where they had gone to demand compensation for the victims of a fire.