'Veerappan' actor held for abusing, threatening police during Holi celebrations

Sandeep Bhardwaj

Actor Sandeep Bhardwaj, who played the outlaw Veerappan on film, is now on the wrong side of the law in real life as well. The Versova police arrested Bhardwaj after he and his friend threatened and abused the cops in a drunken stupor. They allegedly even tried to assault the policemen.

Bhardwaj is best known for playing the lead in Ram Gopal Varma's 2016 Hindi docudrama Veerappan, and the Kannada version, Killing Veerappan. On the day of Holi, around 4 am, the police control room received a call from a citizen at Sagar Kutir Chowpatty, complaining about Bhardwaj and his friend Abhay Singh creating nuisance under the influence of alcohol. The Versova police rounded up the men and took them to the police station, but they refused to cooperate.

Officers said the duo abused and threatened them, claiming they had influential contacts that could create problems for the cops if they were not released. They also tried to assault the cops, said sources from the Versova police. The police booked both the accused under Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code.

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