The raids by Mumbai Police on lodges and the subsequent penalising of couples dragged out has sparked a controversy over moral policing.
After a massive outrage over alleged moral policing, the Mumbai Police is now correcting course. Sources have told NDTV that Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria has pulled up the Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police and the Senior Police Inspector of Malvani Police Station. Both could face a departmental inquiry if there are lapses on their part, sources added.
Stressing on the fact that Mumbai Police does not believe in moral policing, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Deven Bharti told NDTV, "We will not support it if our men have indulged in moral policing. But we should wait for the inquiry report so that we get a clear picture of what exactly happened."
"But you should not forget the broader picture that the raid was conducted on basis of complaints from the locals and even the local MLA that outsiders were coming there and indulging in indecent behaviour there. They were drinking alcohol and harassing the local women there," Mr Bharti added.
The probe will focus on why cops entered hotel rooms and if there were any specific inputs that they were acting on. It will also establish if the raid was as per procedure and on what information did the police act and conduct the raid.
On Monday, the Hotel and Restaurant Association members met the police commissioner and complained of police overreach and breach of privacy. Rakesh Maria had then ordered an investigation into the last week's raids at hotels and lodges during which couples were allegedly detained and harassed by the police. The alleged police action - dragging out consenting couples from hotel rooms - faced widespread criticism from the civil society.
The state's human rights commission has asked the police to explain what happened at the raid. The police says they will respond to the commission's notice after an internal enquiry is complete.
Meanwhile, the police found support from cabinet minister Sudhir Munghantiwar, who said, "It has become a fashion to use the word moral policing. There is no moral policing in the country. By using these words again and again we should not demoralise the police."