Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission issues notice to DGP over video showing security corporation personnel stopping motorists inside Mumbai-Pune Expressway tunnel

Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) has taken suo moto cognisance of a video posted on social media showing Maharashtra State Security Corporation personnel stopping and "harassing" motorists in the Mumbai-Pune Expressway tunnel. The commission issued a notice to the state DGP to inquire into the matter."Employees of the corporation do not possess police powers as prescribed by the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. Consequently, a prima facie case of serious human rights violations by entirely unauthorised persons is established," said MSHRC chairperson A M Badar while issuing notice to the corporation.MSHRC has called for a report of a fact-finding inquiry from the director general of police and the managing director of the Maharashtra State Security Corporation within eight weeks.The MSHRC stated that the recording alleged that Maharashtra State Security Corporation, Mumbai, employees were deployed on the expressway from Pune to Mumbai and were extorting or harassing travellers by stopping vehicles in the tunnel. The complaint was registered suo motu based on the video clip circulating on a social media platform.The MSHRC stated that in addition to the illegality, the actions of the Maharashtra State Security Corporation employees posed a threat to travellers' lives and such actions might result in vehicular accidents on the expressway. The Maharashtra State Security Corporation, Mumbai, was established by the state govt primarily to provide security cover to industrial and financial institutions, as well as municipal or other state corporations.Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) has taken suo moto cognisance of a video posted on social media showing Maharashtra State Security Corporation personnel stopping and "harassing" motorists in the Mumbai-Pune Expressway tunnel. The commission issued a notice to the state DGP to inquire into the matter."Employees of the corporation do not possess police powers as prescribed by the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. Consequently, a prima facie case of serious human rights violations by entirely unauthorised persons is established," said MSHRC chairperson A M Badar while issuing notice to the corporation.MSHRC has called for a report of a fact-finding inquiry from the director general of police and the managing director of the Maharashtra State Security Corporation within eight weeks.The MSHRC stated that the recording alleged that Maharashtra State Security Corporation, Mumbai, employees were deployed on the expressway from Pune to Mumbai and were extorting or harassing travellers by stopping vehicles in the tunnel. The complaint was registered suo motu based on the video clip circulating on a social media platform.The MSHRC stated that in addition to the illegality, the actions of the Maharashtra State Security Corporation employees posed a threat to travellers' lives and such actions might result in vehicular accidents on the expressway. The Maharashtra State Security Corporation, Mumbai, was established by the state govt primarily to provide security cover to industrial and financial institutions, as well as municipal or other state corporations.