HC refuses to 'ungag' Raj

Mumbai, Feb 29 (UNI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray will have to stay gagged till March 3 with the Bombay High Court today setting aside a sessions court's order yesterday granting a stay on the gag.

Justice A P Deshpande of the Bombay High Court today passed an order setting aside the session court's order in response to an appeal filed by the state government.

In its appeal filed today before the High Court, the state government submitted that following Raj Thackeray's outbursts against North Indians, violence had erupted across the state. This had forced the state government to pass a gag order on February 11 to remain in effect till the midnight of February 25.

The gag order was later extended by a week in the public interest, the state government contended. The extension had been challenged by Raj Thackeray in the sessions court which had stayed the gag order yesterday.

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