Decision over cops suspended in Palghar FB case on Mar 16

Policemen suspended in the Palghar Facebook case have put forth their views to the state government and a decision on the issue would be taken at a meeting chaired by chief secretary on March 16, Home Minister R R Patil said here today.
"The Legislative Council would be informed of the decision in the coming week," Patil informed the Upper House, replying to a query by Diwakar Raote (Shiv Sena).
Raote wanted to know why the policemen were treated as guilty and suspended, instead of supporting their action.
Patil said it was not the intention of the state government to demoralise the police force, when it decided to suspend the policemen, against whom a departmental inquiry has been completed.

Sena MLC Ramdas Kadam said the girls, who belonged to a specific community, caused law and order problem.
The Home Minister should use his powers and rescind the suspension, he added.

Leader of Opposition Vinod Tawde said it was not alright to demoralise policemen.
The Maharashtra government had suspended the policemen, who had arrested two girls over their comments on Facebook over Mumbai shutdown for late Sena chief Bal Thackeray's funeral in November last year.
Shiv Sena had also called for a bandh in Palghar to protest the suspension of the two policemen for arresting the girls.
The action against the policemen was based on recommendations made in an inquiry report submitted by Inspector General (Konkan Range) Sukhwinder Singh.

The girls were arrested under Section 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and Section 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the IT Act.
After the police had concluded that there was no evidence against the girls, the Palghar court had closed the case against the girls earlier this year.