Petitions against Thackeray adjourned

MUMBAI, July 8: Two writ petitions, seeking contempt action against Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the judiciary, today came up for hearing before the Bombay High Court.

The matters were heard briefly and adjourned to August 17 by Justice V P Tipnis and Justice S S Parkar as the petitioner, Arvind Ghatpande, filed an application saying he could not appear before the court in view of his ill-health.

One petition sought action against Thackeray under the Contempt of Court Act for allegedly commenting in a public meeting during October 1996 that judges were prone to taking bribes and that he knows of a case where a judge had taken Rs 35 lakh to decide a matter favourably. The second petition challenged a statement by the Sena chief allegedly commenting on a HC judgement in the sensational Kini death case.