20 arrested in Pune for protesting against CAA, NRC sans permission

The detainees, included local businessmen and students

The Pune police arrested 20 people, including one woman, who were protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) without police permission, near the Babasaheb Ambedkar statue close to the district collector’s office on Wednesday afternoon.

The detained protesters were arrested after a case under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with Section 37(1)(3) with 135 of Maharashtra Police Act was registered against them. They were, however, released on bail later in the day. (HT/PHOTO)

“Some of them (protestors) had written to us seeking permission and it was denied, but they still called for a rally. At least 20 people were detained and a case was registered against them,” said deputy commissioner of police Shirish Sardeshpande of zone-1 Pune police.

The detained protesters were arrested after a case under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with Section 37(1)(3) with 135 of Maharashtra Police Act was registered against them. They were, however, released on bail later in the day.

The detainees, included local businessmen and students.

On Tuesday, the police had held a meeting with at least 12 people and had informed them that permission for the protest has been denied, according to a senior police officer. “There was some miscommunication. Those who got the message that the protest was cancelled did not come, but some were not informed,” said one of the protesters on condition of anonymity.

According to assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Ravindra Rasal of Lashkar division of Pune police, “We received their application a few days ago. It was sent to the two concerned police stations (Lashkar and Bund Garden) and the traffic police also weighed in. It was decided that the rally would create traffic congestion as it was a working day. We told them that the police will provide them with protection in two to three other locations. Yesterday (on Tuesday), we held a two-hour meeting with at least 12 of them and they even agreed with our suggestions.”

Notices under Section 149 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was served to the ones who attended the meeting, according to ACP Rasal.

Advocate Sameer Shaikh, who claimed to be a member of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), said, “If the notice was served under Section 149 of CrPC, action should have been taken accordingly. What was the need of invoking the Maharashtra Police Act?”