MNS leaders booked for criminal conspiracy, fomenting unrest

Spordaic incidents of violence involving Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers hit parts of Mumbai for the third day...

Spordaic incidents of violence involving Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS workers hit parts of Mumbai for the third day on Tuesday even as police arrested dozens of political activists, including some senior leaders of the MNS.

A day after some suspected MNS workers threw bottles at Amitabh Bachchan8217;s Juhu residence, about half a dozen unidentified men targeted Bhojpuri film actor Manoj Tiwari8217;s office in Versova, pelting stones at it before fleeing. In another incident in Bandra on Tuesday afternoon, an unidentified biker pelted stones at the City Walk shoe-store owned by SP leader Abu Asim Azmi, damaging a glass window before making a getaway on a motorbike.

The Shivaji Park police arrested MNS spokesman Shishir Shinde, MLA Bala Nandgaonkar and leader Yashwant Killedar, under charges of criminal conspiracy and creating unrest. 8220;They were arrested and booked for criminal conspiracy under Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code,8221; said Joint Commissioner of Police Law and Order K L Prasad. 8220;They were very much present in Dadar when incidents of stone pelting and violence took place on Sunday, and are part of the conspiracy that was hatched to create unrest,8221; he said. They were produced at the Bhoiwada Metropolitan Magistrate8217;s Court, where they were remanded to judicial custody and then released on bail.

While police said investigations into the clashes between MNS and Samajwadi Party SP supporters were continuing and more arrests could be made, there was no word on what action, if any, they were considering against MNS chief Raj Thackeray. That though did not stop Raj from turning up at the wedding reception of Mumbai Police Commissioner D N Jadhav8217;s daughter in Goregaon on Tuesday evening. Raj, accompanied by his wife and supporters, made a brief appearance at the reception about half-an-hour after his cousin Uddhav, wished the new couple and quickly left the venue.

Although some top officials have said that they could arrest Raj if the case against him is strong, there is apparently some unease in the state administration over the repercussions of such a move.

Tuesday8217;s arrests took the total to 134 since the violence began on Sunday following Raj8217;s comments on Amitabh Bachhan and North Indians. Out of these 114 are MNS workers and 19 of the SP.

Besides, Congress spokesman Sanjay Nirupam was arrested with a posse of supporters as he was preparing to lead a rally to Raj Thackeray8217;s house in Shivaji Park on Tuesday morning. 8220;Thirty-seven people including Sanjay Nirupam were arrested by the Shivaji Park police for breach of prohibitory orders under the Bombay Police Act. Since this is a bailable offence, they were later released on bail,8221; said Prasad.

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8220;We are also planning to apply Section 153 A for promoting enmity on grounds of region and language against those who have made inflammatory speeches. Since the advocate-general was unwell, this could not be done today. People on whom such a section is applied can either be arrested or a notice can be served on them asking them to refrain from such speech in the future,8221; he said.

A person booked under Section 153 A of the IPC can be sentenced for up to three years rigorous imprisonment along with a fine.

Prasad said there was fresh trouble in parts of the city on Tuesday afternoon, adding that police had to resort to cane-charging in two instances. 8220;About 70 to 80 MNS workers had assembled in Andheri East to stop Nirupam8217;s rally. There was minor cane-charging and some stone pelting by the crowd,8221; he said.

8220;We arrested 43 MNS workers, and they were produced in court and remanded in judicial custody. Besides this, some 100 MNS workers had gathered and were trying to create some disruption at Mahim, but they were cane-charged and dispersed. A law and order disruption was prevented by the police at Ghatkopar when some youths were attempting to board a local train and create unrest,8221; Prasad said.