Mumbai, Oct 03: The plea of Maharashtra government to withdraw prosecution against Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and 24 party workers in a 1991 riot case would come up for hearing before a Magistrate here today.
Magistrate S Y Shishode had on September 22 exempted Sena chief from appearance for the day on health grounds and deferred until today the government's petition to withdraw the prosecution against Thackeray and others.
The Sena chief has urged for permanent exemption. His plea would be heard today, when all the 24 accused have been asked to be present in court.
Thackeray is accused of making a inflammatory speech at a rally while 24 party workers are facing the charge of rioting and ransacking a newspaper office which criticised the Sena chief.
The court had on last occasion expressed its desire to expeditiously dispose of the state's plea for withdrawal of prosecution against Thackeray and others. However, Prosecutor R S Khandekar sought time to study the case.



In 1997, the state had moved the court seeking to withdraw the prosecution against Thackeray and others for want of evidence. However, the court turned down its plea and the state moved the High Court in appeal.



On July 17, the Mumbai High Court had set aside a lower court order which refused to allow the state's plea for withdrawal of prosecution against Thackeray and others.



Justice J A Patil, quashing the order of February 18, 1997 of a Bandra Magistrate, directed him to consider afresh the government's plea for withdrawal of the prosecution against Thackeray and others.


Bureau Report