Raj moves SC against Jharkhand court's order

New Delhi, Jul 25 (UNI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has moved the Supreme Court seeking to quash a criminal case pending against him at Jamshedpur court in Jharkhand for delivering inflammatory speeches against north Indians.

Raj Thackeray in his petition has alleged that the complaint against him was filed by an advocate who is the spokesman of RJD and it is politically motivated and has been filed only to get cheap publicity.

Judicial Magistrate, Jamshedpur had taken cognizance of the complaint and had summoned Mr Raj for offences under Section 153 A, 153 B and 504 of IPC.

Mr Thackeray moved the Jharkhand High Court against the order of the local court and the High Court dropped the charges under Section 153 A and B of IPC but maintained the charges under Section 504 of IPC (defamation) against the MNS chief.

Mr Raj in his petition, which was filed yesterday in the Supreme Court, has also contended that the complainant has not even annexed the copy of the alleged imflammatory speech delivered by him and even then the magistrate had taken cognizance of the complaint.

According to Mr Raj, the complaint is solely based on a TV report and even the concerned TV channel has not been made a party in the complaint.

The petitioner has prayed to the apex court to dismiss the complaint against him and set aside the impugned order of the Jharkhand High Court in which that court has allowed the magistrate to revive the charges under Section 153 A and B of IPC if proper sanction against Mr Raj is obtained.

Section 153 A and B relate to an attempt to disturb communal harmony in the state.

Mr Raj had been leading a violent campaign against north Indians in Maharashtra and people from Bihar in particular.

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