India's second case under Social Boycott Act in Pune

Rambhau Laxman Lokhande with his family members at Sangvi police station

The Maharashtra Protection of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) bill was passed by the state legislature in April 2016, but it received the President's nod only this month. On Tuesday, a Pune resident filed the second case in the newly enacted law. Rambhau Laxman Lokhande, 70, a resident of Pimpale Gurav, registered a complaint at the Sangvi police station.

Significantly, Maharashtra was the first state to file a case under Social Boycott Act. Under the law, members of a community or a caste panchayat can be punished, with imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to R1 lakh, for ostracising people.

Rambhau said, "Every wedding in the Vedu community needs the case council's approval, and fines are levied if anyone dares to oppose the 'tradition'. They ostracised my family when I spoke out about it in 2014."

Assistant police inspector Alka Sarang from Sangvi police station said, "We have filed Rambhau's complaint and began investigations. People he has named are absconding."