The Supreme Court had ordered the Maharashtra government to issue licenses to dance bars by March 15. (Representational photo)
Mumbai:
The Maharashtra government has suspended four policemen for issuing licenses to dance bars in Mumbai and for allegedly submitting a "false report" to their seniors.
The suspension comes even as the government has not complied with the March 15 deadline given by the Supreme Court to issue license to dance bars.
For pending dance bar licenses, the police commissioner had sought a report on whether bars were prepared to comply with conditions set by the government and the top court. Allegedly, the report had "false" information.
The Chief Minister's Office tweeted:
Only recently, the Supreme Court had ordered the Maharashtra government to issue licenses to dance bars by March 15. While four licenses had been granted, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis denied they had been. In fact, before the Maharashtra assembly session began, Mr Fadnavis told the media that they would introduce a new bill to ban dance bars.
For over a decade now, dance bars have remained shut in the state. The Congress-NCP were the first to ban them and then home minister late R R Patil had claimed they were dens of vice which would corrupt the youth. However, the courts have upheld the bar dancers right to livelihood and have struck down related bills.
The suspension comes even as the government has not complied with the March 15 deadline given by the Supreme Court to issue license to dance bars.
For pending dance bar licenses, the police commissioner had sought a report on whether bars were prepared to comply with conditions set by the government and the top court. Allegedly, the report had "false" information.
The Chief Minister's Office tweeted:
CM @Dev_Fadnavis suspends 3 Police Inspectors(PI) and 1 Assistant Police Inspector(API) for dereliction of duty and false reporting.
CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) March 18, 2016
/1
For pendingDanceBarLicense applications @CPMumbaiPolice had sought report from these officers regarding compliance of conditions set out by
CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) March 18, 2016
...by the State Govt with Supreme Court approval for granting licenses to Dance Bars.
CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) March 18, 2016
/3
These 4 Police officers had submitted false reports.
CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) March 18, 2016
Hence CM has suspended them and ordered Dept Enquiry against them.
(4/4)
Only recently, the Supreme Court had ordered the Maharashtra government to issue licenses to dance bars by March 15. While four licenses had been granted, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis denied they had been. In fact, before the Maharashtra assembly session began, Mr Fadnavis told the media that they would introduce a new bill to ban dance bars.
For over a decade now, dance bars have remained shut in the state. The Congress-NCP were the first to ban them and then home minister late R R Patil had claimed they were dens of vice which would corrupt the youth. However, the courts have upheld the bar dancers right to livelihood and have struck down related bills.
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