Mumbai: A committee has been set up to protect serving and retired defence personnel and servicemen and their families. The information was given on Thursday by the state government to the Bombay High Court. A communication from the Collector and president of the committee to the Commissioner of Police was presented before the court.
The division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Gauri Godse has asked the state to give wide publicity to the committee and publish it on the state’s website so that families of defence personnel/servicemen are made aware of it.
October 2007 government resolution
The HC was hearing a petition filed by ex-serviceman Sujit Apte, seeking direction to the state to implement its own policy in an October 2007 government resolution (GR) to provide protection to serving and retired defence personnel, ex-servicemen, their wives, widows and other family members.
Apte also sought that the police be directed to register an FIR against three local persons who threatened him after the 2020 demolition of an “illegal temple” on a footpath outside his brother’s property in Wadala.
In a PIL by another person, the HC had directed the BMC to remove the illegal structure with police assistance. The structure was demolished and again rebuilt. Then a contempt was filed and once again the HC directed the civic body to remove it.
Apprehending the threat to his brother’s life and property, Apte filed a complaint. He even intervened in the contempt petition. However, the HC, on December 16, said he must initiate appropriate proceedings before the appropriate forum. On December 18, some goons with iron rods broke all CCTV cameras and tried to enter Apte’s house.
