A dispute over information sought under the Right to Information Act has escalated into competing complaints involving Maval MLA Sunil Shelke and RTI activist Sunil Raghunath Gujar after an alleged confrontation at the Pune collectorate on Friday.
Gujar, a resident of Pimploli in Maval taluka, alleged that Shelke and his supporters verbally abused and assaulted him inside a room at the collectorate at around 3 pm. He also claimed that his bag was checked during the incident. Police said Gujar submitted a written complaint alleging assault.
Shelke subsequently filed a counter-complaint seeking an inquiry into Gujar’s activities. In his complaint, the MLA alleged that the activist was sharing information about him with political opponents and expressed concern that Gujar may have been attempting to obtain his personal, sensitive and business-related information through RTI applications filed in other people’s names.
The dispute reportedly relates to Gujar’s efforts to obtain official records concerning alleged irregularities in mining royalties, stone-crushing operations and land associated with the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation in Maval. Gujar and his associates have alleged that illegal mines and stone crushers continue to operate in the region and that irregularities in royalty payments may have caused revenue losses to the state.
They have also questioned what they described as a lack of action by administrative authorities. The activists have alleged that political pressure may be preventing enforcement against the operations. These claims remain allegations and were not independently established in the report.
Shelke’s complaint raises a separate concern about the activist’s activities and the use of RTI applications. He also alleged that Gujar had been seen near his office and at public events in recent days. The complaint seeks an inquiry into those activities rather than addressing only the confrontation at the collectorate.
The competing complaints place the administration’s handling of RTI-based scrutiny and alleged violations linked to mining and industrial land at the centre of the dispute. The matter also highlights how requests for public records can intersect with political rivalries, personal-information concerns and enforcement questions involving land and extractive activity.
The immediate accounts from the two sides differ substantially. Gujar has alleged assault and unauthorised checking of his bag, while Shelke has sought scrutiny of the activist’s conduct and the information-gathering process. The police and relevant administrative authorities are expected to determine the next steps on the complaints and examine the allegations made by both parties.
