Briefing media for the first time, the new Mumbai police commissioner Satyapal Singh on Wednesday made a statement regarding the riots in Azad Maidan.
Singh told reporters that action would be taken against the organisers if their involvement in the riots was proved.
In all the arrests that have been made in the case, none of the 17 organisers were booked or arrested. However, the special investigating team (SIT) did record the statements of nearly all the organisers.
Singh had taken charge only a few days after the August 11 violence and on the first day in his office, he had admitted to a delay in police action. “The crime branch is looking into the case and we will soon decide on the next course of action," he said.
The crime branch has arrested 60 persons of which were let off as they were found innocent. The two accused who had desecrated the Amar Jawan Memorial are among those who were arrested on charges of murder, attempted murder and molestation, along with other sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Singh also said that anyone who misbehaves with the police, especially policewomen, would not be spared.
When asked whether they would take any action against Raj Thackeray for the rally he headed, Singh said he had not taken charge then but would look into it.
On August 11, violence broke out after miscreants began pelting stones at policemen and media during a protest rally against the killing of Muslims in Assam and Burma. I was later found that it had all been planned and that several meetings had been held a few days before the riots. In spite of being warned, the miscreants continued to create havoc which resulted in two deaths. Many others, including policemen, injuries. Policewomen were molested and police weapons were stolen.
