Arrest warrant issued against Raj Thackeray

Sudhir Kumar, a lawyer and spokesperson of the East Singhbhum unit of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, had filed the case on March 13, a day after Thackeray8217;s reported statement against people from Bihar settled in Maharashtra. He later enclosed a photostat copy of the newspaper report on Thackeray8217;s statement. The case was then transferred to Awasthi8217;s court by Chief Judicial Magistrate P K Moitra.

The court took cognisance of the case under the non-bailable Section 152A of the IPC, punishable with three years of imprisonment, and issued summons to Thackeray.

8220;We will obey the court8217;s directive and may go to Maharashtra to execute the warrant,8221; a senior Jharkhand Police officer said. Thackeray has the option to move a higher court and seek a stay.

Incidentally, Kumar and several other leaders of the RJD and JDU had protested against Thackeray8217;s statement and burnt his effigies in several towns of Bihar and Jharkhand.