Will review policy on police protection, state tells HC

The Maharashtra government on Friday informed the Bombay high court that it will review its policy for providing police protection to private individuals.

“We have decided to review the policy and consult the revenue department in order to add to it measures for recovery of dues from individuals to whom police protection is provided,” government pleader Abhinandan Vagyani told the court.

He was responding to a public interest litigation filed by advocate Sunny Punamiya complaining about charges of police protection not being collected from individuals and urged the court to order an audit of the police protection provided by the Mumbai police.

The PIL said that 609 policemen protected 242 people residing police are yet to receive Rs23.76 lakh from 51 builders, Rs37.52 lakh from 14 Bollywood personalities and Rs2.44 crore was due from others, including the individuals from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

During the course of hearing on the PIL on Friday, the court rapped a joint secretary of the home department for wrongly portraying views expressed by it.

“He (the joint secretary) has due to lack of knowledge,” said the court. “If it is due to lack o knowledge, then it is very danger ous,” said the court, adding, “In that case, the entire security o the state is at stake.”

“You can’t have such officers who do not understand the (court) proceedings,” the cour told Vagyani.

The court then summoned the additional chief secretary of the home department who met the