Raj Thackeray reaches ED office, Section 144 imposed in parts of Mumbai

MNS chief Raj Thackeray, summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case, on Thursday reached the agency's office. Mumbai police has imposed section 144 of CrPC (banning unlawful assembly) outside the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office.  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.

The ED 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.

Former Maharashtra chief minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi’s son Unmesh Joshi was also summoned by the ED in this case.

Earlier Raj had said he had faced such notices from govrnment agencies and courts in the past and honoured them and he was going to honour the ED notice too.

"I have been through such cases earlier as well and I will come out of it," he said on Wednesday.

Police personnel have been deployed in Dadar area in central Mumbai and other places where MNS has stronghold, to maintain law and order, the official said.

Mumbai police on Wednesday served notices to MNS functionaries and several party workers under section 149 of CrPC as a precautionary measure, he said. Section 149 pertains to prevention of cognisable offences.

Meanwhile, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande, wearing a tee shirt with “EDiot Hitler” emblazoned on it, was taken into custody by police Thursday morning.