NASHIK, Jan 11: A Nashik court today adjourned to March 8 the hearing of a defamation case filed by leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Chhagan Bhujbal against Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and two others.None of the accused - Thackeray, Sanjay Raut and Subhash Desai (editor, executive editor and publisher respectively, of the Sena mouthpiece Saamna) - appeared in court today. Bhujbal, who was present in court, told The Indian Express that all three had earlier moved the Bombay High Court which turned down their plea to quash the case and directed them to the Nashik court. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) M M More directed the accused to appear for the next hearing on March 8, Bhujbal added. During the previous hearing, the court had asked whether Bhujbal was prepared for reconciliatory proceedings, to which the Opposition leader had said he would withdraw the case if Thackeray publicly apologised to him and published the apology in newspapers. Thackeray hadrejected the demand.
