‘Don’t grant bail to molesters’

Even as state govt seeks a stiffer punishment... 

The wakeup call came early morning on New Year’s Day, and it has shaken the state government out of slumber.

The molestation of two NRI women, who were returning with their male partners from a New Year Eve party, by a group of rowdies near Juhu Tara Road shocked the society.
But the 14 suspects rounded up by police were granted bail just a couple of days after their arrest.

Following it, the state on Tuesday wrote to the Centre to make molestation a non-bailable offence. It also urged for a more stringent punishment - enhancing the jail term from one year to two years - to deter the criminally inclined.

The state home department, having taken a lot of flak for the Juhu molestation, decided to write to the Centre, proposing the above mentioned amendments in the Indian Penal Code. The state cabinet approved it, and the proposal was dispatched to Delhi on Tuesday. “We have written to the Centre as it is easy for the accused to get bail in such cases,” said home minister RR Patil.

When asked about his meeting with Raj Thackeray, who pleaded for the accused, Patil said, “It has nothing to do with police investigations. We have taken the case very seriously and cops have been told not to go soft with anybody. The accused, if found guilty, will be punished.”