Facebook row: Minister wants charges against two girls dropped

Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan today demanded that charges slapped on the two Palghar girls in connection with their Facebook posts against the shutdown during Sena chief Bal Thackeray's funeral should immediately be dropped.

He said that with special IG (Konkan range) Sukhwinder Singh's report indicting the police for framing wrong charges, no case can be made against the girls and charges against them should be dropped.

Shaheen Dhada and Renu Srinivasan were arrested under IPC sections 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 505(2) IPC (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) and the IT Act.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil has said that senior officers would study the case and decide whether to drop charges against the girls.