Raj Thackeray brought to Bandra court amid tight security

Mumbai, Oct 21 (UNI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray was brought to the Bandra court at 1445 hrs this afternoon under tight police security, after he was arrested in Ratnagiri early today.

The state has appointed former public prosecutor Rohini Salian and noted criminal lawyer Majid Memom as special public prosecutors in the case.

Mr Thackeray was arrested on grounds of provocation and obstructing government officials from discharging their duty, leading to sporadic violence and arson in various parts of the state, under sections 153 (a), 423, 427, 535, 107 and 506 (II) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The arrest came within a day after Mr Thackeray dared the state government to take action against him as a consequence of MNS activists preventing north Indians from taking a Railway Recruitment Board examination in the city that saw widespread violence on October 19.

Top police officials said here a case has been registered against Thackeray at Kherwadi police station in the western suburb of Bandra for allegedly not allowing North Indian students to appear in Railway Board Examination at Chetna College centre and manhandling them.

Earlier, the police had to resort to lathi charge after a large number of MNS activists, including women, turned violent outside the court premises where they had gathered on hearing that Raj would be brought to the court.

UNI ST/GS RN AKJ SB KN1551