MUMBAI, June 17: The Bombay High Court today issued a notice to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray in a contempt petition filed against him over his alleged remarks against the court last year.
A division bench of Justices P V Hardas and Mridula Bhatkar restored the petition filed by Advocate Ezaj Naqvi, seeking action against MNS chief for contempt of court.
The bench directed Union Ministries of Law and Judiciary and Information and Broadcasting to file their replies within four weeks.
The state Advocate-General has already given a nod for initiating action. While the Union Law Ministry has to give its opinion, the I&B Ministry was made respondent because it has footage of the speech.
According to Adv Naqvi, Raj had referred to a Bombay High Court decision of February 2012 as ‘partisan’.
The HC, on February 5 last year, rejected a petition filed by MNS seeking permission to hold a rally at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, on the grounds that the area fell under ‘silence zone’.
Raj had allegedly criticised the court’s ruling, calling it partisan.
‘The remark scandalises the High Court and tends to lower its authority and dignity. The remark cast unwarranted aspersion of partiality against the High Court,’ Adv Naqvi contended in his petiton.
(UNI)
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