Mumbai: Raj Thackeray To Appear Before ED Today; Section 144 Imposed In Areas, MNS Leader Sandeep Deshpande Detained

As Maharashtra NavNirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackarey is set to appear before Enforcement Directorate (ED) today, Mumbai police has taken precautionary measures anticipating violence.

Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) imposed in areas under Marine Drive, MRA Marg, Dadar, and Azad Maidan police stations, reports ANI.

MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande has been detained by police as a precautionary measure. Deshpande had said on Monday said that the "party will protest on streets if the government takes any action with prejudice against Thackeray", and called for a bandh on Thursday.

However, the bandh was later called off after a meeting on Tuesday presided by Thackarey himself .

“He has appealed to the MNS workers not to hold any protests which may cause problems to the public," Deshpande said after the meeting. He added that the leader didn’t want to cause trouble to people on account of bandh.

Thackeray was summoned by the ED to appear before the agency in Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) scam. The party termed the move as “political vendetta and not any serious inquiry”.

The agency is probing alleged irregularities relating to loans and equity investment worth over Rs 450 crore by IL&FS in Kohinoor CTNL Infrastructure Company, which is developing Kohinoor Square tower in Mumbai's Dadar area.