Two courts in Osmanabad district of Marathwada region on Thursday slapped a collective fine of Rs 6,000 on MNS chief Raj Thackeray for his failure to respond to repeated summons issued to him in connection with the destruction of public property by his party activists during an agitation against north-Indian settlers called by him in 2008.
The two courts subsequently released Raj on bail against a collective cash surety for Rs 45,000.
Having failed repeatedly to respond to summons issued to him to appear before them from time to time in connection with violence that broke out during an agitation called by in October 2008, Raj finally appeared before the courts of Paranda and Osmanabad.
While the Paranda court imposed a fine of Rs 3,500 on the MNS chief and sought a personal bond for Rs 15,000 for his failure to respond to summons issued on it, the Osmanabad court slapped a fine of Rs 2,500 on Raj and obtained a cash surety for Rs 30,000 from him.
Raj, who is currently touring the drought-affected areas of Marathawada, appeared before the two courts, after they issued arrest warrants against him for his failure to respond to the summons issued against him in the past.
There were incidents of violence in both Paranda and Osmanabad in October 2008, when the MNS activists had gone berserk and damaged public property like state transport buses as part of the agitation called by Raj against north-Indian students in Maharashtra.
It may be recalled that the police across Maharashtra had registered 60-odd cases against the MNS chief for allegedly inciting violence against north-Indian students in October 2008.
In Mumbai, Raj was charged by the Kherwadi police under sections 141 to 149, 151, 153- (C) & (G) of IPC (all offences against public tranquility), 336 (endangering personal safety of others, 349 (force), 353 (assaulting a public servant), 357 (assault), 427 (causing mischief) and 506 (criminal intimidation) for inciting violence against north-Indian students appearing for and officials conducting RRB examinations at the Chetna College centre at Bandra (East) on October 19, 2008.
Hours after Raj’s arrest on October 21, 2008, the MNS activists had indulged in rioting in many parts of the state, incl-uding Pune, Solapur, Nashik, Buldhana, Nagpur, Malegaon and Tulajapur. Solapur, Pune, Aurangabad, Osmanabad, Hin-goli, Buldhana, Nagpur and Tuljapur. The activists had not only damaged scores of state transport buses, but they had also set them on fire.
Other than in Mumbai, cases were subsequently registered against the MNS chief in various cities, including Paranda and Osmanabad, in connection with violence indulged in by his party activists following his allegedly provocative utterances.