HC asks petitioner to approach Mah govt against K L Prasad

Mumbai, Sep 18 (UNI) Bombay High Court today directed Advocate V P Patil, who sought an inquiry and action against Joint Police Commissioner (Law and Order) K L Prasad for his alleged derogatory remarks about the city, to approach the state government for the same and withdraw his petition.

The division bench, consisting of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice A P Deshpande, was hearing the petition, which said on September 11, Mr Prasad, while reacting to a statement of Maharashtra Navamirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, had remarked ''Mumbai does not belong to anybody's father''. It noted that the sentence was not abusive.

The petition, which has been filed as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), said Mr Prasad, who is a high ranking officer of the city police, cannot make such controversial statements, which could create hatred among the people of the city.

He said that according to service rules, before making any statement to the press, Mr Prasad has to obtain permission from the government. But in the this case he had not done so.

Mr Prasad was in charge of the law and order in the city, but his statement indicates lawlessness and disorderliness in his manners, Mr Patil said.

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