Commissioner turns down Sena8217;s surrender offer

MUMBAI, July 22: Like obedient students, former leader of the house in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and present chairman of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority MHADA, Vilas Avchat, along with eight Shiv Sainiks heeded to the advice of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and surrendered themselves before the police commissioner, Subhash Malhotra, at the Police Headquarters this morning.

However, Malhotra refused to arrest them. He said it was not yet decided whether to arrest Avchat and the others under Section 307 attempt to murder as investigations were still on.

8220;If Section 307 has to be applied then the department will inform the magistrate who will pass an order,8221; he said. Thackeray had ordered the Sainiks who had attacked the official residence of leader of the opposition in the State Legislative Council, Chhagan Bhujbal, on July 13 to surrender themselves.