Bihar court asks Raj to appear on July 25

Taking cognizance of charges against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for allegedly inciting violence against aspirants from the state for railway jobs in Mumbai, a Bihar court has asked him to appear before it next month to explain his position.

Chief Judicial Magistrate of West Champaran M K Dwivedi passed the order on Tuesday while hearing a criminal revision petition and asked Raj to appear on July 25.

Dwivedi took the cognizance against Thackeray under Indian Penal Code sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion race, place of birth and language), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudician to national integration) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace).

Earlier, district judge A Verma had referred the criminal revision petition filed by advocate Murad Ali to the CJM for hearing.

Ali had charged Thackerary and others with indulging in violence by targeting the aspirants from Bihar for jobs in railways during an exam held on October 19 last year.

Image: Raj Thackeray