Mumbai, June 17 (IANS) Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister and Sub-Committee Chairman Ashish Shelar has said that the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Wednesday decided to withdraw 44 cases registered during various religious, political and social agitations in Maharashtra and has recommended them to the state government.

A Cabinet Sub-Committee was constituted to review cases registered during political and social agitations in Maharashtra and recommend their withdrawal where appropriate.

At an earlier meeting, 77 cases had been recommended for withdrawal.

On Wednesday, the committee recommended the withdrawal of an additional 44 cases.

During Wednesday’s meeting, 133 applications pertaining to cases registered by the police were reviewed.

The committee decided to withdraw cases against 44 applicants.

The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary of the Law and Judiciary Department, the Director of the Directorate of Public Prosecution, officials from the Home Department and senior police officers from across the state.

The committee made it clear that offences related to crimes against women, serious criminal offences, as well as personal and civil disputes cannot be pardoned under the state government’s policy; therefore, the committee refused to withdraw such cases.

In accordance with government resolutions and directions of the Supreme Court, matters relating to sitting and former MLAs and MPs can only be finally decided by the Bombay High Court.

Necessary steps are being taken in this regard as well.

Of the 133 applications received by the Cabinet Sub-Committee, 14 cases have been recommended for reconsideration and will be placed before regional committees led by Deputy Commissioners of Police.

In addition, some of the 35 cases under review had already been disposed of, while 32 cases were outside the committee’s purview. Only eight cases remain pending for consideration, the statement issued by Minister Shelar’s office said.

Minister Shelar said that social activists, political party workers, protesters and participants in ideological movements had often been subjected to unnecessary cases.

Ensuring their relief from such unwarranted prosecutions is the responsibility of the state government, he added.

The cases withdrawn on Wednesday included those related to Ganeshotsav, Navratrotsav, Dahi Handi celebrations, social programmes, cattle protection movements and labour agitations, among others.

–IANS

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