New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission today directed Maharashtra Government to pay Rs 50,000 each to the two girls who were arrested over a Facebook post after the death of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, saying their detention was "illegal".

According to a statement released today, the Commission has held that the detention of the girls was in violation of freedom of speech and expression of views guaranteed in the Constitution and asked the state to pay the compensation or face "coercive" action.