FB post row: Maha to take strict action against guilty cops

The police had arrested two girls from Pahalgar for posting apparently 'offending' Facebook statuses after Thackeray's death

Promising that 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 R R Patil today said "strict" action will be taken against cops, if found guilty.

"The report will be forwarded by the DGP to the government today. 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.

Shaheen Dadha and Renu Srinivasan, both aged 21, from Palghar were arrested on Monday after Dadha posted a Facebook status lamenting the Mumbai shutdown for Thackeray's funeral on Sunday and Renu 'liked' it. The girls were later released on bail.

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.