Bombay High Court Nullifies Charges of Raj Thackeray’s Alleged Involvement in Inciting Violence in 2008

The Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court, on April 18, dismissed the charges against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray in a criminal case stemming from a 2008 stone pelting incident. Justice Nitin B Suryawanshi remarked that there was insufficient evidence to prove Thackeray’s involvement in instigating the stone pelting, rendering the charges baseless. The incident in question occurred in October 2008, where MNS party workers allegedly damaged a bus by pelting stones after chanting slogans in support of Thackeray. Thackeray was accused of abetting the crime through provocative speeches targeting migrants from north India, purportedly linking them to local unemployment issues.

Thackeray was initially charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including unlawful assembly, wrongful restraint, endangering life, mischief, and abetment. Despite filing a discharge application, both the trial court and sessions court upheld the charges against him. However, the High Court found discrepancies in the prosecution’s case, noting the absence of Thackeray’s alleged provocative speech in the chargesheet and the lack of witness statements corroborating his involvement. The court concluded that the lower courts failed to consider these critical factors, leading to the erroneous rejection of Thackeray’s discharge plea.

Consequently, the High Court deemed the lower courts’ orders unsustainable, thereby quashing the case against Thackeray. Senior advocate Rajendra Shirodkar, along with advocates Sayaji Nangre and Arun Shejawal, represented Thackeray in court, while additional public prosecutor SR Wakle appeared for the Maharashtra government.