Click to play videoNew Delhi: The Maharashtra police finally began a crackdown on the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena for promoting enmity between groups on the basis of places of birth, residence etc with the intent to cause riot and detained its state secretary Vasant Gite in the first big arrest.
Dozens of MNS workers have been detained since Tuesday night and there was speculation in Mumbai that the police would arrest MNS chief Raj Thackeray and SP leader Abu Asim Azmi sometime on Wednesday. Gite was arrested in Nashik on Wednesday morning.
A team of Mumbai police officials reached Raj Thackeray's residence on Wednesday afternoon and recorded his statement.
However, MNS spokesperson Shishir Shinde denied that the police have recorded Raj Thackeray's statement.
"Raj saheb ke paas koi police nahi aayi hai. Koi bhi statement record nahi hua hai. Jo atkale sab jagah chal rahi hai waisi hi atkale sab jagah hai. MNS ke karyakarta kahin per bhi jama bahi hue hain. Sab jagah aam aadmi jinko Mumbai ke liye pyaar hai jama hain (No police team is inside Raj Thackeray's residence. No statement has been record. It is all a rumour)," Shinde said.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister RR Patil, who also the state Home Minister, cut short his visit to Vidarbha and reached Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon.
Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Sriprakash Jaiswal said in New Delhi that six more companies Central paramilitary forces are being rushed to the state.
"Six more companies of CRPF are being sent to Mumbai. Security needs to be tightened in areas where North Indians stay. We will ensure that no one is forced to leave Maharashtra," Jaiswal said.
According to Mumbai police sources, Raj Thackeray is likely to be arrested at around 1530 hrs (IST) on Wednesday and presented in a local court immediately after his arrest.
Security has already been strengthened around the Vikhroli court area where Raj Thackeray is most likely be produced.
There is heavy deployment of security force in the Shivaji Park area. One battalion of Rapid Action Force and about 200 personnel of Mumbai police with 16 officers have been deployed to maintain law and order.
The Maharashtra Government has requisitioned paramilitary forces to meet any eventuality and security has been beefed in different parts of the city in case they are arrested.
The state authorities have already deployed Central paramilitary forces in Mumbai in anticipation of possible backlash following Raj Thackeray's arrest.
A few companies of Rapid Action Force and four companies of Central Reserve Police Force have also been deployed across Maharashtra.
The police had registered cases on Sunday night against Thackeray and Azmi at separate police stations under Section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153A (promoting enmity between groups on the basis of places of birth, residence etc) 153D (assertions prejudicial to national integration) and 117 (abetting the commission of any offence by the public) of the IPC.
Though the police are tight-lipped about when the leaders could be arrested, they have given ample indications that arrests are mandatory as they have been charged under cognizable and non-bailable offences.
There was strong security presence in the vicinity of Thackeray's residence and the movement of the people is being regulated. Media personnel are also being kept at bay by the security men.
Incidents of stone pelting and assault were reported from different parts of the state - including Nashik, Pune, Jalna, Beed, Aurangabad and Latur towns - on Tuesday in protest against the police action.
MSN activists also targeted public property including state transport buses in most of the cases.
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