A non-bailable warrant of arrest has been issued against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Biharis by a Jamshedpur court.
The court of 1st class judicial magistrate A K Tiwary on Tuesday issued the warrant and directed Thackeray to be present personally in the court on November 17.
It also ordered that a copy of the arrest warrant be issued to the Mumbai police commissioner for its execution.
The court passed the order after rejecting three petitions filed by Thackeray's counsel pleading for quashing the case under sections 210, 177 and 317 of the Criminal Procedure Code on the grounds that a case against him on a similar issue was pending in the Mumbai high court.
The defense lawyers also argued about the territorial jurisdiction of the case under Section 177 of the CrPC, saying the case in the local court in Jamshedpur was irrelevant as the place the incident occurred was in Mumbai. Hence, the case be transferred to Maharashtra, he said.
They also pleaded with the court to allow Thackeray's appearance in the court through his lawyers on security grounds.
Hammed Razaa Khan, a lawyer-cum-complainant, had lodged a case against the MNS chief for hurting religious sentiments of a section of society.
Earlier, the Jharkhand High Court had directed the trial court to go ahead with the prosecution against the MNS chief while allowing him liberty to take up the territorial jurisdiction issue with the trial court on September 19.
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