Bal Thackeray FB post: Strict action would be taken against guilty policemen, says RR Patil

Mumbai: Promising that the Maharashtra government will act on the recommendation of the inquiry report on the arrest of two girls for posting Facebook comments against the shutdown for Bal Thackeray's funeral, Home Minister RR Patil on Saturday said "strict" action will be taken against cops, if found guilty.

"The report will be forwarded by the DGP to the government today (Saturday). I will discuss the report with Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and strict action will be taken against the officers if found guilty," Patil told reporters. He said the government has taken the incident very seriously.

Two girls from Palghar were arrested on Monday after one of them posted a Facebook status lamenting the Mumbai shutdown for Thackeray's funeral on Sunday and the other one 'liked' it. The girls were later released on bail.

The report filed by the IG mentioned that sections applied in the case against the girls were not justified.

They were arrested under IPC's sections 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 505(2) IPC (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) and the IT ACT. Following an outrage over the girls' arrest, the state government instituted an inquiry headed by Inspector General (Konkan Range) Sukhvindar Singh, who submitted the report.

The enquiry report on the arrests has indicted the policemen involved in initiating action against the girls and observed that the arrests could have been avoided,a police official said on condition of anonymity. The confidential report submitted to the DGP office has also recommended departmental action against the erring cops, the official said.

"The report filed by Inspector General (Konkan Range) Sukhvindar Singh also mentions that sections applied in the case were not justified," the official said, adding police would seek advice from the government on dropping of the

charges against the girls. Meanwhile, Maharashtra State Commission for Women has

also sought the details of the case from the Thane (Rural) Superintendent of Police after lawyer Abha Singh filed a complaint before it alleging human rights violation in the arrest of two girls, sources said.

Describing the arrests as a gross violation of human rights, Singh, the wife of IPS officer-turned-activist YP Singh, had on Tuesday demanded that the Commission visit the concerned police station, inspect the case diaries and

inquired into the matter.

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