Raj Thackeray gets bail on surety of rupees one lakh

Mumbai, June 29 (ANI): Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray was on Monday granted bail on surety of rupees one lakh in connection with his role in a 2008 riot case in which North Indians appearing for railway recruitment examination were assaulted.

Earlier in the day, Thackeray surrendered before the Kalyan court. After surrendering before the court, he was taken to the Kalyan Railway Police Station.

The Bombay High Court had on June 16 set aside an anticipatory bail granted to Thackeray in the same case by a lower court and asked him to surrender before the court concerned by June end.

The State Government had filed an appeal in the High Court challenging the grant of interim anticipatory bail to Thackeray.

Justice Rekha Sondurbaldota had then noted that custodial interrogation of Thackeray was not necessary at this stage.

Upholding the State Government's contention that Kalyan Sessions Court's order granting anticipatory bail to the MNS chief had become infructuous as the Railway police had already arrested him, the High Court quashed the lower court order granting interim protection to Thackeray.

It maybe recalled that MNS and Shiv Sena activists attacked 17 railway board examination centres in suburban Mumbai on October 19 last year, protesting "inadequate representation" to locals and chased away candidates from north India.

Ten people were arrested then for disrupting the examination and targeting candidates. Five candidates were admitted to hospitals in Thane and Kalyan following the assault. (ANI)