Raj Thackeray granted bail in rioting case by Nagpur court

Nagpur, Feb 25 (PTI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena presidentRaj Thackeray was today granted bail by a local court in arioting case dating back to October 2008.

Judicial Magistrate G H Patil granted him bail on asurety of Rs 25,000 in a packed courtroom here.

Before that, the judge asked Raj if he was not aware ofearlier summons, to which Raj said he had not received any.

A non-bailable warrant had been issued against him by thecourt for not appearing on earlier dates. Today, after hisappearance, and grant of bail, court adjourned hearing toAugust 12.

Thackeray is facing charges under sections 143, 147, 148,149 of IPC (related to rioting, unlawful assembly) andsections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Damage to the PublicProperty Act, in connection with incidents of violenceat Koradi near here, on October 21, 2008.

Raj''s anti-north Indians agitation was at its peak duringthis period, and MNS activists had allegedly damaged a fewbuses in Koradi.