The state government has made the MNS student wing pay for the damage its activists caused at the Mumbai University registrar’s office in January. The government told the High Court today that it has recovered Rs 57,000 from 10 activists of the MNVS.

It is the first such recovery since the Bombay Police Act was amended last year. The Act provides for recovery of damages from persons or political parties responsible for destruction of public property in political agitations, a provision rarely enforced.

The court was hearing a suo motu PIL based on a letter sent by former IPS officer Julio Rebeiro. Rebeiro had mentioned two major incidents, one of them the university rampage by the MNS-backed students.

The other incident mentioned was a violent protest by Shiv Sena workers at Hotel Intercontinental. The Sena activists, allegedly led by party MP Sanjay Raut, had damaged property worth Rs 7.80 lakh, said assistant government pleader Niranjan Pandit.

Pandit informed the court that the district collector recovered Rs 57,000 from the 10 MNVS activists. The government has also issued notices for payment of damages caused in two other incidents, elsewhere.

The High Court said wide publicity should be given through newspaper advertisements on the action the government proposes to take if public property is damaged.

The court said it would appoint a commission of inquiry to look into future cases of vandalism. “Please start acting and let people not destroy public property,” Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

The hearing of the case has been adjourned for two weeks.

... contd.