Maharashtra government to withdraw cases registered for lockdown violation

State home minister Anil Deshmukh announced on Wednesday evening that the state government has decided to withdraw the cases registered under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for violation of the Covid-19 lockdown

State home minister Anil Deshmukh announced on Wednesday evening that the state government has decided to withdraw the cases registered under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for violation of the Covid-19 lockdown.

According to an official from the home department, thousands of cases have been registered for the violations, such as resorting to the streets, not wearing a mask, maintaining social distance. (HT PHOTO)

“We have decided to withdraw the cases registered for the lockdown violations. The cases will be withdrawn following the judicial process,” he said.

According to an official from the home department, thousands of cases have been registered for the violations, such as resorting to the streets, not wearing a mask, maintaining social distance.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Pradeep Deshmukh met the home minister on Wednesday morning demanding the withdrawal of the cases as they have been leading to hardships to the people. “In Pune, police have taken action against 28,000 people for violation of the lockdown norms from April to July. They are being served notices now for lodging FIR. Police had registered their names during lockdown for the violations and the notices are being served now. Though the action was legal, many of them had stepped out of the house, out of compulsion. Such action can cause unnecessary distress,” Pradeep Deshmukh said. He said that lakhs of such cases were registered across the state.