M A I N   N E W S

Police gets orders to prosecute Thackeray
Charge sheet next week

MUMBAI, July 23 (PTI) — The Mumbai police today said the process of prosecuting Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray would begin tomorrow and the filing of charge sheet against him in the court would be completed during the week. Mumbai Police Commissioner M.N.Singh, who received on Friday the state government’s orders to prosecute Mr Thackeray for his alleged inflammatory editorial in Sena mouthpiece “Saamna” during 1992-93 Mumbai riots, said it was normal procedure to produce the accused at the time of the filing of the charge sheet in the court.

“We will follow the normal procedure in this case too,” he told “Star News” but declined to set a timeframe for the purpose.

Asked if the charge sheet would be filed without taking Thackeray into custody, Mr Singh said the filing of the charge sheet without the production of the accused in the court “could be a matter of adjustment” but the police would follow the normal procedure.

He said it was for the court to decide whether Mr Thackeray should be given bail for an offence which was non-bailable under the relevant provision in the Indian Penal Code.

The police chief said the entire 40,000-strong Mumbai police had been mobilised along with paramilitary forces from neighbouring states and state reserve police to cope with the law and order situation in the event of Mr Thackeray’s arrest.

He said he was confident that there would be no law and order problem and any possible violence could be tackled.

He also referred to Mr Thackeray’s appeal to his followers not to force bandh or take to violence and hoped Shiv Sainiks would heed to his appeal.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who also holds the Home portfolio, today made a televised appeal to the people to maintain peace in the state.

The situation in the metropolis and entire state was reported to be peaceful.

NEW DELHI: The Rashtriya Janata Dal has asked Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to clarify the Centre’s stand on the Maharashtra Government’s move to prosecute Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

He demanded the immediate arrest of Mr Thackeray and a ban on the Shiv Sena.

He said the Centre would be totally responsible if the law and order situation in Maharashtra got out of hand due to non-availability of paramilitary forces. The Centre had on Thursday rejected a demand from Maharashtra for additional forces.

Sena stays away from NDA meeting
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, July 23 - Annoyed over the “hands-off”attitude of the Vajpayee government, Shiv Sena members tonight stayed away from the NDA coordination committee meeting here.

Apparently the Shiv Sena members were unhappy over not taking with seriousness their demand for the dismissal of the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra for giving the green signal to prosecute their party chief, Mr Bal Thackeray, and also the resignation of Mr Ram Jethmalani.

“There was no message from them. I spoke to one or two Shiv Sena leaders. It was obvious they were unable to come for the meeting,” convenor of the NDA working committee, Mr George Fernandes told reporters. He maintained that the issue relating to the prosecution and arrest of Mr Thackeray did not figure at the meeting at all.

Mr Badal raised the issue of Udham Singh Nagar at the meeting and said the sentiments of the people residing in that district should be kept in mind while setting up a new state of Uttaranchal.