Panaji, Dec 3 (IANS): Maharashtra Industries Minister Narayan Rane's son Nitesh and eight others were Tuesday arrested after they smashed a toll booth on the Goa-Maharashtra border and assaulted three toll operators, police said.
Nitesh tried to impersonate his brother, Congress MP Nilesh Rane, to dodge paying toll at the booth and later the police who tried to arrest him after the incident.
An official said Nitesh was on his way to Goa when his entourage was stopped at a toll booth in Dhargal as part of a new entry toll system put in place by the Goa government for vehicles registered outside the state.
Enraged, Rane first tried to impersonate his brother but later, along with eight others who were part of his entourage, tried to assault the occupants of the toll booth and tried to smash the boom barrier and the toll operator's cabin as well.
Rane and the other accused were later picked up by the police from a hotel in Calangute. The hotel is operated by a company owned by the Rane family.
"Nitesh Rane and eight others have been arrested under sections 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code," the official said.