Raj applies for discharge in Oct 2008 rioting case

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief, Raj Thackeray on Wednesday finally appeared before the Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate court, after the court issued a warrant against him, as he had failed to appear before it.

Moreover, Raj had also applied for his discharge from the October 2008 rioting case, which the Kherwadi police registered against him.

According to Raj's discharge application, the police has no evidence against him, which would prove that he was not responsible for the alleged riots.

Representing Raj, advocate Sayaji Nangre claimed, “The discharge application is filed on the merits of the case. According to the prosecution, my client was responsible for the riot which broke out in October 2008, but the prosecution has no evidence to prove that my client had delivered hatre speeches which led his men to allegedly attack North Indian candidates who had approached the city to appear for the railway recruitment exams. Also, at the time of the incident, my client was out of town. So how can the police slap my client with rioting charges?”

Furthermore, the court cancelled the warrant issued against Raj and asked the prosecution to file a reply on the discharge application.

The case dates back to October 2008, when MNS men allegedly assaulted the North Indian candidateswho had approached Mumbai to appear for the railway recruitment examinations. The police maintained that the men involved were shouting slogans like “Raj Thackeray aage bado, hum tumhare saath hain. Raj ka aadesh Maanana hain, exams band karna hoga,” at Chetna College in Bandra, where the examinations were conducted.