Raj granted bail, handed over to Kalyan police

Mumbai, Oct 21 (UNI) A Metropolitan Magistrate's court here today granted bail to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, but he was immediately remanded in police custody in Kalyan on a different count.

Amid high drama and mob violence, the MNS leader was initially sent in judicial remand till November 4 by metropolitan magistrate G R Wankhede and was subsequently granted bail on an application from his counsel, after a lengthy argument.

Mr Thackeray was arrested in Ratnagiri in the early hours by a police team from Kherwadi on charges of attacking candidates from North India who were here to appear for a Railway Recruitment Board Examination on October 19.

Pandemonium broke loose in front of the magistrate court as MNS volunteers repeatedly attacked the police and indulged in stone pelting and arson.

Immediately after the bail was granted, the Kalyan police intervened with an application before the magistrate to seek his custody in connection with a similar case in its jurisdiction and sought a transit remand, which was readily granted by the court.

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