The Mumbai police have charged Arun Gawli, the newly elected legislator from Chinchpokli, on charges of assaulting a journalist who had gone to interview him at his residence on Sunday.

The gangster-turned-politician, along with corporator Sunil Ghate and two others, have been charged under section 323 of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly assaulting and threatening the journalist at Gawli's Dagdi Chawl residence, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Dongre said on Sunday night.

But a watchman at Gawli's residence has lodged a complaint charging the journalist of carrying a sharp weapon.

Dongre said he has received a complaint in this regard but the matter is under investigation.

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Meanwhile, Gawli denied assaulting any journalist. He said that a journalist had come to interview him but when he was frisked by the watchman at the entrance of his house, he was found in possession of a sharp weapon.

"Later, my workers took the journalist to a nearby police booth from where police took them to Agripada police station," Gawli said. When this drama occurred, he was sitting inside his house and not aware of the developments taking place outside.