Case filed against MNS chief Raj Thackeray, others in Aurangabad

Police registered the case after seeing the videos of his public rally in Aurangabad.

A case was registered in Aurangabad against the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief and organisers of a public rally where Raj Thackeray delivered a speech on May 1.

File photo of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray addressing a public rally at Sanskrutik Mandal Maidan, in Aurangabad. (ANI)

The case was registered after police offers went through clippings of his public rally in Aurangabad where he had asked his supporters to play Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques from May 4 if loudspeakers there were not removed by then.

A PTI report said the city Chowk police registered a case against Thackeray under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 116 (abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment-if offence be not committed) and 117 (abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than 10 persons) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act, the official

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra DGP Rajnish Seth police were well prepared to deal with any kind of issues related to law and order. Seth said police will act against those who try to disturb the communal harmony in the state.

The police chief also hinted that the Aurangabad police commissioner may soon take appropriate action against the MNS chief for his recent speech at Aurangabad. "The Aurangabad CP is looking into the speech. He will take whatever legal action that is needed today itself,” he added.

A meeting chaired by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray was also reportedly underway over the issue. The meeting is being attended by home minister Dilip Walse Patil.

When asked about the case being registered against the MNS chief, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut such actions were normal if somebody gave an provocative speech. “Such cases are filed across the country. If somebody gives an instigating speech, if somebody writes something like that, such actions are taken against it. What is the big deal about it?” the Rajya Sabha MP was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

When asked about the MNS chief's ultimatum, Raut said such politics did not have a place in a state governed by the Sena supremo. “It is Uddhav Thackeray's government here. What ultimatum? It doesn't work here. Ultimatum politics will not work in Maharashtra. Only the word of the Thackeray government will work here,” he said.

Meanwhile, MNS Aurangabad unit head Sumeet Khambekar has said any order from the party chief "will be followed", according to a PTI report.