HC raps Maharashtra government again over MNS

The Bombay High Court on Friday pulled up the Maharashtra government for not filing any chargesheet in cases filed against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and his party workers, in the wake of their violent agitation over the Marathi signboard issue.

"Why no chargesheets have been filed against any of the offenders?" division bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice S A Bobde asked.

"Keep the senior officer in charge of the probe present in the court next Wednesday (December 10)," ordered the high court.

Raj, in July this year, issued a virtual diktat to shopkeepers and businessmen in the city that they must put up Marathi signboards.

In September, there were incidents of vandalism and violence targeting shops without Marathi boards. Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association had filed an application in the High Court seeking protection from MNS' vandalism.

The court then passed an order restraining the MNS and Raj from indulging in violence.

Today, the government lawyer submitted a list of arrested MNS workers and the cases filed against them. The accused were arrested and eventually got bail, said advocate V A Gangal.

When the high court asked whether anyone has been chargesheeted, Gangal replied that the probe was still on. "What investigation? Is this a murder trial? Why no chargesheets have been filed yet," the Chief Justice asked.