Raj Thackeray, leader of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena issued a veiled threat to acclaimed director Mahesh Bhatt on the issue of MNS workers being arrested for extortion attempt on a film set.
Speaking at a book release function on Wednesday in Mumbai, Thackeray said that it was Bhatt who had given false and misleading information to Chief Minister Ashok Chavan that lead to the filing of FIR against his party men. "I will show Mahesh Bhatt who I am the day he comes in my range," said Thackeray.
Though this is not the first time that those belonging to MNS have been booked for violating the law for non-political reasons, however Thackeray have always turned a blind eye towards such transgressions. This is the first time that Thackeray has come out in defence of his party men, who have been accused of extortion. Bhatt was unavailable for comment.
On 15 March, 11 film industry workers belonging to MNS Cine Workers Association had barged into Mehboob studios in Mumbai, where Ritesh Sidhwani's movie Crooked was being filmed. According to the FIR lodged by Sadhwani, MNS workers had demanded that priority being given to Marathi youth, instead of foreigners employed for the film. When Sidhwani explained that foreigners were required as the scene, as the location was supposed to be Istanbul, the MNS workers failed to see reason and demanded Rs 27 lakh.
