Raj Thackeray sent to 14-day judicial custody

Mumbai, Oct 22 : Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has been sent to 14-day judicial custody till November 5 by a Kalyan court in connection with a case of attack against North Indians.

Raj's lawyer said that they would apply for bail for the MNS chief. Meanwhile, the Railway Police have also reached the Kalyan court with a warrant in Raj's name.

The MNS chief was taken to the Kalyan court from Manpada police station in Thane district's Dombivili town, where he was kept overnight after being arrested by the Mumbai Police.

Raj was taken into custody by the Mumbai Police in Ratnagiri yesterday and charged with provoking hatred among communities and endangering public safety.

Preventive curfew was clamped in Kalyan from 11 a.m. and tight security measures have been put in place outside the court.

MNS activists gathered outside the court, about 60 kms from Mumbai, and indulged in stone throwing and slogan shouting to protest their leader's arrest. They were dispersed by a baton-charge by the police.

After Tuesday's incidents outside the court in Bandra, in Mumbai, where groups of MNS activists indulged in violence, police on Wednesday prevented all journalists from standing near the court.

Raj Thackeray's wife Sharmila on Wednesday sat on a dharna outside the Manpada police station, where her husband has been kept in custody, after MNS chief's supporters were stopped from meeting him, leading to tension in the area and prompting authorities to clamp curfew.

Sharmila went to the Manpada police station, about 60 km from Mumbai, on Wednesday morning to meet her husband. The police allowed her to go in but prevented others who were accompanying her.

ANI