A local court in Sangli district in western Maharashtra has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray in connection with a 2008 case. He has currently sparked a controversy with his ultimatum to the State government demanding the removal of loudspeakers from mosques.
This case is more than 10 years old. As per the High Court’s direction, cases pending for over 5-10 years must be cleared at the earliest and special constable appointed to execute the warrant and submit a report to court”
In 2008, North Indian youths appearing for a railway recruitment examination were assaulted in Kalyan (among other places in Maharashtra) by MNS activists gunning for the jobs to be given to local Maharashtrians, following which a court in Kalyan issued orders for his arrest.
Protesting against their leader’s arrest, a group of MNS activists in Shirala staged an agitation that year, compelling shopkeepers to down their shutters.
Accordingly, a case under Sections 143 (punishment for unlawful assembly), 109 and 117 (dealing with abetment of offence) and Section 135 of the Bombay Police Act was lodged at the Shirala police station for calling a strike without permission while a charge sheet was later filed in the Shirala First Class Court against 10 MNS activists, including Mr. Thackeray.
With the case now more than 10 years old, the Shirala court on April 6 last issued an NBW against Mr. Thackeray, stating that it be cleared immediately in accordance with the High Court’s injunction and that the Mumbai Police Commissioner arrest the MNS chief and present him before the court.
Police ready to take action
The police on Tuesday swung into action and slapped preventive notices on thousands of MNS activists and leaders, after Mr. Thackeray, in his speech in Aurangabad on May 1, refused to budge on the issue of removing loudspeakers from mosques while warning that if the Muslim community did not do the needful even after requesting them, he would not be held responsible for what occurred in Maharashtra after May 4.
The MNS chief had exhorted his partymen and the Hindu community to play the Hanuman Chalisa over loudspeakers in twice the volume in front of mosques if the speakers were still not dislodged by the end of May 3.
Director-General of Police (DGP) Rajnish Seth said the police were prepared to deal with any law and order situation arising due to the loudspeaker row. He told reporters in Mumbai that the Aurangabad Commissioner of Police had gone through the MNS chief’s Aurangabad address of May 1 and that he would take appropriate action by Tuesday itself.
“We are capable of tackling any law and order problem and we are well prepared for handling any situation. All leaves of police personnel have been cancelled. We have taken preventive action against 15,000 anti-social elements to ensure they do not create any law and order situation. We have served notices to 13,000 other people,” he stated.
Eighty-seven companies of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) had been mobilised and more than 30,000 home guards deployed across the State, he said, warning of stern action against those attempting to disturb public peace.
