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Huge drama as Thackeray is taken to court

Syed Firdaus Ashraf in Bombay

At Matoshri, his home in Bandra in north-west Bombay, dramatic scenes preceded his arrest when a team from the Dadar police station went to take him into custody.

Scores of distraught Shiv Sainiks lay down on the road to prevent the police convoy from taking Thackeray away. As the situation threatened to get out of control, Thackeray came out of his home and appealed to his party men to let the authorities do their job.

"I want to go the court myself and clarify what I have written," Thackeray told the crowds outside his house, before being taken away.

There is a little confusion over whether he was actually arrested. According to what Thackeray told the crowds, he refused to be arrested and told the police team that he was coming to the court willingly.

Among the Shiv Sena leaders present at Matoshri during the arrest were former chief ministers Manohar Joshi and Narayan Rane, most of who accompanied him to court. Former deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde was also present.

Thackeray is expected to be presented before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate B B Kamble at the Bhoiwada metropolitan magistrate's court. Additional Public Prosecutor J S M Siddiqui told this correspondent that it was entirely up to the magistrate to decide on Thackeray's bail application; the state government, naturally, is expected to oppose the bail move. Thackeray has let it be known that he will not be moving for bail.

A case has been registered at the Dadar police station in north central Bombay for his allegedly inflammatory articles in the Sena daily, Saamna during the riots of December 1992-January 1993. The court has been cordoned off by hundreds of Rapid Action Force troops and Bombay policemen.

Police pickets were seen at various parts of the city, though not in the strength that may have been expected for an event of this magnitude.

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