Facebook row: Bombay High Court asks about action against police

Responding toa petoition, the Bombay High Court today asked the Maharashtra government to explain the action it had taken against policemen who had arrested two girls from Palghar district for posting innocuous comments on Facebook over the Mumbai shutdown after Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's death in November last year.

Prosecutor Konde-Deshmukh was asked by a bench headed by justice Abhay Oka to file a reply on the action taken by the state government in the case by 12 February, PTI reported.

The petition was filed by journalist Ketan Tirodkar who prayed that the state be directed via the home department to order appropriate penal action against the erring policemen who had arrested the girls.

Arguing the petition in person, Tirodkar, referring to a newspaper report said an inquiry into the arrests was made by inspector general of police (Konkan region) Sukhwinder Singh said three officials failed to act in time to halt the arrests and opined that the case against the girls should be withdrawn.

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and home minister RR Patil held divergent views on action to be taken against the erring police personnel,  with the chief minister mooting strict action against the police officials responsible for the arrests, and the home minister  wanting only a suspension for the guilty policemen.

According to the petitioner, this had resulted in delay in taking action against the erring police officials for arresting the girls although no offence had been made out against them.