Court orders Mumbai Police Commissioner to arrest Raj Thackeray

Jamshedpur, Oct 1 (UNI) A Jharkhand court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena supremo Raj Thackeray for allegedly using foul language against ''Chhat,'' a religious festival of Bihar, and the North Indians.

Court of first class judicial magistrate A K Tiwary in his warrant issued yesterday ordered the Mumbai Police Commissioner to arrest Mr Thackeray and produce him before his court on or before November 17, the next date of hearing of the case filed by a local advocate Hamid Raza.

In his complaint Mr Raza alleged that Thackeray should be punished for his statements of January 31 by which he had hurt the sentiment of the Biharis and North Indians.

Thackeray had moved the Jharkhand High Court for quashing of the case but was told to go to the lower court.

Yesterday, during the hearing his advocates pleaded for the matter to be trasferred to Mumbai and Thackeray be given immunity from personal appearance citing security reasons but the court rejected the pleas.

UNI RAJ PC SRC VC1824