AG’s nod to contempt proceedings against Raj

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray may be in trouble with the Advocate General (AG) of the state approving initiation of contempt of court proceedings against him for his alleged remarks against the Bombay High Court a few months ago.

Earlier in February, Raj had called the High Court order rejecting an MNS plea to hold an election rally at Shivaji Park in Dadar here as “biased and wrong”.

He also accused the court of acting on behalf of certain political parties.

Soon after Raj’s outburst, advocate Ejaz Naqui -- better known for representing 26/11 attacks accused Faheem Ansari -- had written to AG Darius Khambata seeking his approval for initiating contempt of court proceedings against Raj.

In his reply received on Wednesday, Khamata gave nod to launch proceedings against Raj, subject to the condition that Naqui was able to prove that the MNS leader termed the High Court order a “partial decision”.

According to sources in MNS, Raj’s criticism of the High Court was a strategy that went horribly wrong.

“Raj was trying to provoke the High Court, so that it would be forced to initiate contempt of court proceedings against him. Had the court moved that way, then Raj believed that he would be looked as a person being victimised for fighting the cause of the people -- a development that might have influenced the poll results in favour of the MNS. But the court did not blink. Now with the elections over and no other polls ahead in the near future, it would be easier for the court to castigate him for the contempt committed,” they said.