MNS chief surrenders before court, gets bail of Rs 50,000

Mumbai, Nov 15 (UNI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray today surrendered before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court at Mazgaon in connection with a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) issued against him by the Jamshedpur court for allegedly passing derogatory remarks against north Indians.

Raj surrendered before the court this afternoon. Thereafter, the city police arrested him and moved a remand application, which was rejected by the court.

Before that, the court heard lengthy arguments on the bail application.

Then, the court granted bail of Rs 50,000 to Raj.

On October one, the court of first class Judicial Magistrate A K Tiwary had issued the warrant and directed MNS president to be present personally in the court on November 17.

Earlier, Mr Thackeray had challenged the order in Jharkhand High Court in Rachi, which was kept for hearing yesterday. But the court did not assemble, compelling Mr Thackeray to move Chief Metropolitan Court at Mazgaon praying to grant him bail.

The Jamsedhpur court had passed the order after rejecting the three petitions filed by Mr Thackeray's counsel, pleading for quashing of the case under sections 210, 177 and 317 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) on the ground that a case against him on the similar issue was pending in a court in Mumbai.

The defence argued on the territorial jurisdiction of the case under Section 177 of CrPC, saying the case in the Jamshedpur court here was irrelevant, as the place of occurrence was in Mumbai.

Hence, the case be transferred to Maharashtra.

Hammed Razaa Khan, a lawyer-cum-complainant, had lodged a case against the MNS chief for hurting religious sentiments of a section of society.

UNI ST SSS LS RK1700