Rohit Bal held after ‘brawl’ over parking space, gets bail later

NEWDELHI: Fashion designer Rohit Bal was arrested on Friday along with his friend and two employees for allegedly trespassing on a neighbour’s property, threatening him and creating ruckus following an argument over a parking space in south Delhi’s Defence Colony. Police said the incident took place around 3am.

Ishwar Singh, deputy commissioner of police (south), said that a case under Sections 451 (house trespass), 510 (misconduct in public by a drunken person), 506 (criminal intimidation), 427 (causing mischief and damage), and 34 (common intention) of the IPC was registered on the neighbour Iqbal Singh’s complaint.

“Singh alleged that Rohit Bal, along with his friend Lalit Kumar, and two employees Ramesh and Pramod had forcefully entered his home while being under the influence of alcohol. They threatened the complainant and created a ruckus. We registered a case and arrested the four men,” said the DCP. All four men were subsequently granted bail .

When contacted, Bal told HT, there were no arrests. “It was just a slight argument pertaining to a parking space problem. It happens all the time. My neighbour and I are sorting it out. The police were very cooperative,” Bal said in a text message.

Singh, who is a transporter, told the police that around 3am, Bal who lives in his neighbourhood arrived outside his home ‘drunk’ and started abusing and misbehaving with his security guard Dharmendra Kumar.

The complainant alleged that Bal wanted to park his car outside his home where Singh’s car was already parked. Bal allegedly wanted Singh’s car be removed from the spot. After allegedly abusing and threatening the security guard, Bal and three other men made Dharmendra open the gate.

“They (Bal and his men) then started knocking at the door of the family living on the ground floor. The occupants came out and requested Bal to return home and resolve the parking space issue later in the day,” said a police officer.

Bal and the men then allegedly forcibly entered Singh’s home and threatened him. Singh alleged that he also damaged his two phones and created a ruckus. By the time a police team reached after receiving Singh’s call, Bal, his friend Lalit, driver Ramesh and staff Pramod had reached the Defence Colony police station.