Mumbai: Taking a precautionary measure ahead of party chief Raj Thackeray’s questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Mumbai police detained several top Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leaders, including party spokes-man Sandeep Deshpande, Thursday morning. They were released late night after Mr Thackeray was allowed to go home.
Mumbai police had served notices to MNS functionaries and several party workers under section 149 of CrPC. Section 149 pertains to prevention of cognisable offences.
Mumbai police also imposed Section 144 of CrPC (banning unlawful assembly) outside the ED office and in some parts of Dadar, where the MNS chief resides and parts of central Mumbai.
Section 144 prohibits assembly of more than four persons in an area where there is likelihood of breach of peace and disturbance of public tranquillity.
Several MNS activists, including Mr Deshpande, protested against the ED action Thursday morning by wearing a T-shirt with “EDiot Hitler” emblazoned on it. Police, subsequently, took them into custody. Besides Mr Desh-pande, police also detai-ned Santosh Dhuri from Mumbai and Ravindra More from Thane.
“ED action is government’s attempt to suppress our voice, but we will not budge,” said Mr Deshpande. The move was taken apprehending law and order problem, a police official said.
“Raj has appealed his party workers not to throng outside the ED office, but we don’t want to take any chances,” the official said.
Police personnel have been deployed in Dadar area and other places to maintain law and order.
