The business district of India's financial capital under Section 144-- what does it mean?

• Mumbai Police has imposed Section 144 on September 27 in many areas of Mumbai particularly the business district.
• This prevents 'unlawful assembly' among other restrictions in the areas mentioned.
• The move has been triggered by the decision of a senior politician Sharad Pawar to visit the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a corruption case.

Mumbai Police has imposed Section 144 on September 27 in many areas of Mumbai particularly the business district. The Bombay Stock Exchange as well as the Reserve Bank of India are in the vicinity of the areas mentioned by the Mumbai Police.

The move has been triggered by the decision of a senior politician Sharad Pawar which is in the opposition in the state-- to visit the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a corruption case at Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank.

The ED registered a case against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar -- an opposition leader in the state assembly-- and his nephew Ajit Pawar, among 70 other officials of the Maharashtra State Co-operative (MSC) Bank for an alleged fraud pegged at ₹25,000 crore.


These are the key areas where Section 144 has been imposed.


What are the restrictions imposed under Section 144?

Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) of 1973 prohibits the assembly of four or more people in an area. According to the law, every member of such 'unlawful assembly' can be booked for engaging in rioting.

The law also disallows carrying any weapon in the areas mentioned and people can be detained for violating it. The maximum punishment for such an act is three years.

The cops can detain people for protesting or engaging in any activity that may be considered as intended to cause unrest.

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