SC rejects Thackeray's plea for quashing cases on "hate"speech

The Supreme Court rejected the plea of Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena (MNS)leader Raj Thackeray's plea on Tuesday for quashing the criminal cases registered against him by Jharkhand government for his alleged hate speeches against north Indians.

A bench of chief justice KG Balakrishnan and justices P Sathasivam and Deepak Verma permitted senior counsel UU Lalit to withdraw the petition after he unsuccesffuly argued for quashing of the cases on the ground that a FIR was already pending with the Mumbai police on the issue.

The apex court, while declining to entertain the plea, termed as "abuse of the process of law" by the MNS leader to approach the court as his earlier plea relating to the transfer of cases from Jharkand was already pending before it.

Sensing the mood of the court, the MNS leader's counsel withdrew the petition.

Earlier in January this year, the apex court had stayed the non-bailable warrant issued by a Ranchi court for his alleged hate campaign against north-Indians.

The apex court had also agreed to examine the plea of Thackeray to transfer the cases filed against him in Bihar and Jharkhand to any other state or Mumbai.

The Jharkhand police had in March last year and thereafter registered at lest half a dozen cases under Section 504 IPC (insult intended to provoke breach of peace) against the MNS leader for allegedly making inflammatory speeches against north Indians, particularly Biharis and Jharkhandis.