PMC security officer suspended for 7 days
Action was taken after identity of scribes entering the press gallery was checked by security personnel.
A security officer of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Santosh Pawar, was suspended from service for seven days on Friday for ill-treatment of journalists by security personnel.
Recently, the security personnel of the Pune Municipal Corporation, checked the identity of journalists entering the press gallery and noted down their names for security purposes, while other citizens were freely allowed entry there.
After members of political parties protested against the ill-treatment meted out to journalists by security personnel, additional municipal commissioner, MS Deonikar, expressed regret over the incident.
The angry members were not satisfied with the apology by the administration and demanded that the officer concerned be suspended.
Shiv Sena group leader, Sham Deshpande, started preparations to move a resolution for the suspension of Pawar. Ultimately, mayor Mohansingh Rajpal, who was in the chair, ordered the suspension of Pawar for seven days.
Independent corporator, Ujwal Keskar, raised the issue in the house.
Shiv Sena’s group leader in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Sham Deshpande, Congress leaders Aba Bagul and Abhay Chhajed as well as Ravindra Dhangekar from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena strongly criticised the administration for the misbehaviour by security personnel.
They demanded to know who had given the orders when the mayor has the sole authority to decide on entry in the house and other rules.
Later, mayor Mohansingh Rajpal clarified that he had not given permission for such checks to be conducted to allow entry to journalists at the press gallery.