Mumbai: The Thane police on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court that it will continue with only one of the 11 FIRs lodged against NCP leader Anand Paranjpe and a closure report will be filed in the others. The offences were lodged for allegedly sloganeering and posting purportedly objectionable comments against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
On Jan 13, the HC bench had asked the police why identical offences were invoked in multiple FIRs. It had also asked the State Government’s lawyer to take instructions on whether only one FIR can remain and others could be closed.
Responding to this query on Wednesday, additional public prosecutor Prajakta P Shinde, appearing for the Thane police, told the bench that appropriate decision will be taken on the other 10 FIRs and a closure report will be filed before the magistrate within two weeks. The bench of Justice Revati Mohite-Dere and Justice Prithviraj K Chavan accepted this submission.
Mr Paranjape, a former MP from Kalyan Constituency had approached the HC with a plea for quashing of FIRs, which were a result of NCP activists led by him protesting in Thane in December last year over suspension of their party’s MLA and leader Jayant Pati from attending the winter session of the state’s assembly.
The bench also remarked that police officers will not learn a lesson until costs are imposed on them and recovered from their salaries. The bench will hear the matter next on Feb 7.
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