-The Hindustan Times The Maharashtra police are likely to drop the charges against the two Palghar women for their comments on Facebook protesting the shutdown of Mumbai after the death of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on November 17. The police are also likely to initiate punitive action against the cops who arrested them. An inquiry report on the incident was submitted to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday, indicting senior and junior...

-The Business Standard IT laws have clauses that can be too easily misused The arrest of two women in Palghar (near Mumbai) for an innocuous Facebook status update is the latest indicator of an increasing intolerance of free speech, especially online. The state has also increased its surveillance. The focus on surveillance and censorship is evident not only in specific instances but also in the statistics. In February, the government said...

-Outlook The Delhi police was asked today by a court here to file a status report on its probe into the case lodged against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for allegedly dubbing Bihar natives as infiltrators in Mumbai and threatening them to throw out of the state. "Notice to concerned investigating officer be issued with direction to file status of investigation," said Metropolitan Magistrate Neeraj Gaur. The court order came after the...

-The Hindu Mumbai: Two young women were arrested here on Monday on charges of “promoting enmity between classes” and “sending offensive messages through [a] communication service,” after one posted, and the other ‘liked,’ a message on Facebook on Sunday, questioning the Mumbai bandh that followed Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray’s death. Both of them were released on bail by a local court on Monday afternoon. “With all respect, every day, thousands of...

-Agence-France Presse Mumbai: Mumbai Police has said they had arrested a woman for criticising on Facebook the total shutdown of Mumbai after the death of politician Bal Thackeray, as well as a friend who "liked" the comment. The two were due to appear in court later in the day charged under the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, said Police Inspector Shrikant Pingle. "The two women will be produced in a...