Surat: Congress leader and former Surat Municipal Corporation councillor Aslam Cyclewala and his son Sohel have been booked after a woman alleged they threatened her family, pressured them to withdraw a police complaint and subjected them to caste-based abuse. The FIR was registered following directions from the Gujarat High Court.According to the complaint, Lata Gawane, 59, lives in the Salabatpura area with her family. She alleged that an altercation took place late at night on July 13, 2026, when eight members of the Chiya Gang attacked her grandson, Raj alias Guddu, with bladed weapons. Gawane said she suffered injuries to her hand while intervening. She later lodged a complaint with Salabatpura police for attempt to murder and offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.Gawane alleged that on July 14, Cyclewala and his son Sohel came to her house and questioned her family about the police complaint. She said they pressured her to withdraw the case and threatened the family. According to the complaint, Cyclewala referred to members of the Chiya Gang as “Mere ladke” while issuing threats.Gawane further said that the accused used caste-related derogatory remarks and threatened her.Gawane submitted an application at Salabatpura police station on July 21. After no FIR was registered, she approached the Gujarat High Court through a special criminal application. The high court directed police to register a case on Oct 21.Salabatpura police on Wednesday registered an FIR against Aslam Cyclewala and Sohel for criminal intimidation and intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace, along with offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.Aslam Cyclewala had earlier served as an SMC councillor from Anjana ward. Sohel recently contested elections from the same ward and lost.
