On Raj Thackeray's arrest, Maharasthtra CM says "nobody is above law"

Mumbai, Oct 21 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today said that the decision to arrest Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray was not a sudden decision, and that nobody was above the law.

"This is not a sudden decision. We took this decision because nobody is above law. Law is same for everyone," said Deshmukh while talking to reporters here last night.

Raj Thackeray was arrested in Ratnagiri late on Monday night for brutal attack on North Indian rail exam candidates by MNS workers.

A case was registered against Raj Thackeray and his supporters after MNS activists attacked centres conducting railway recruitment examination in suburban Mumbai to protest against the "inadequate representation" to locals and chased away candidates from north India.

More than 30 MNS activists were arrested from Dombivali, Thane, Andheri and Nala Sopara for disrupting the exam, tearing test papers and pelting stones on candidates, police said.

Thackeray is likely to be produced in Bandra court here today.

Commenting over the issue, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar urged the Central Government to take action against the MNS' activists, and also asked it to safeguard citizen's rights.

Meanwhile, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav said that Raj Thackeray was "insane" and had no right to attack poor students who had come to appear for exams.

On Monday, a court in Jamshedpur forwarded a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Raj Thackeray to Mumbai police.

The NBW has been issued against Thackeray for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Biharis. Mumbai Police said that the NBW would be executed this week.

The non-bailable warrant was issued by the court of first class judicial magistrate A K Tiwary on September 30 directing the MNS leader to be present before him on November 17.

The court directive came on a petition filed against Thackeray by Hammed Raza Khan, a lawyer, for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of a section of society.

ANI