Team Herald

PANJIM: Dhaku Madkaikar, brother of ailing Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar has been charged with assaulting a local panchayat representative.

Old Goa panchayat member Nilkant Bhomkar filed a complaint against Dhaku on Tuesday evening for assault, a police official said.

As per the complaint, Bhomkar claimed that when he was getting out of the panchayat hall after attending a meeting of tribal bodies, he was stopped by Dhaku and his cousin Mahesh Pilgaonkar and was beaten up.

“They were alleging that I had disrespected the minister during the meeting because of which they were upset with me,” Bhomkar stated.

In a cross complaint, Dhaku Madkaikar’s wife stated that Bhomkar had threatened her and her husband.

Old Goa police said both the complaints are being investigated. “We have received a complaint and cross complaint. Action is being taken as per law,” Old Goa PI Sudesh Velip told said.

Minister Pandurang Madkaikar was admitted in a private hospital in Mumbai on June 5 this year, after he suffered a brain stroke.