Two girls arrested for Facebook post on Mumbai shutdown granted bail

Mangalore Today Network

Mumbai, Nov 19, 2012 : Two Mumbai girls have been arrested and were ordered by a court to 14 days in jail for their Facebook post  the shutdown of Mumbai on Sunday, the day of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s funeral. They were bailed within hours of being arrested after paying two Rs. 15,000 bonds.

 

One of the girls, Shaheen Dhada, had written on her Facebook page, "We should remember Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev", two martyrs of India’s independence struggle. Her friend Renu had "liked" the post.

 

 

Police arrested both the girls under Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code for "statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill- will between classes."

Sudhir Gupta, the defense counsel for Shaheen and Renu, told NDTV, "Their posts don’t incite violence. It can’t be said they have made any derogatory remarks. They don’t belong to any political ideology."

Clinic_vandalised_295_Nov20.jpgIronically, after a police complaint was filed by a local Shiv Sena leader, Sena activists allegedly vandalised her uncle’s medical clinic, broke window panes and flowerpots. No action has been taken as yet against the Shiv Sainiks who allegedly vandalised the clinic, though police complaint has been filed.

They were arrested by Palghar police. An inquiry has been ordered by Maharashtra police to look into whether there is any merit in the case. Sources have told NDTV that the police headquarters in Mumbai is very upset with the action taken by Palghar police station.

The Shiv Sena leader’s death on Saturday afternoon had brought the city to a virtual standstill for the weekend, with shops and other establishments shutting and taxis going off the roads, amid fears of violence by Mr Thackeray’s supporters. The fears appeared unfounded, since there was no incident in Mumbai.

 

Courtesy: NDTV