Raj Thackeray denied Bail - now in custody

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, who was arrested early Tuesday morning, has been sent to two-week judicial custody by a court in suburban Bandra in Mumbai where he was produced around 2.50 pm.

Of the two cases against him, Raj Thackeray has been given bail in the Chetna College case and was denied bail in the Dombivli-Kalyan case.

Raj is expected to be taken to the Kalyan court this evening before the night magistrate.

Throughout Tuesday's court proceedings, Raj Thackeray sat quietly without uttering a word. Prosecutor Rohini Salian said she opposed bail since she feared he would say unconstitutional things if let out. Two truckloads of Rapid Action Force personnel were stationed outside the court for security.

Violence erupted in several parts of Mumbai and Maharashtra following the arrest of MNS chief Raj Thackeray in the early hours of Tuesday from the Circuit House in Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra. MNS activists resorted to heavy stone pelting outside the magistrate court. Despite heavy police presence, a large number of people pelted stones outside the court this noon, injuring a news channel cameraman.

Police also cane charged MNS hundreds of MNS activists outside the Bandra court to disperse the crowd, protesting the arrest of the MNS chief.

Several Samajwadi Party workers also turned up outside the court, shouting slogans against Raj. But police cordoned them off from MNS workers to prevent any untoward incident.

As the news of Raj's arrest spread, incidents of stone-pelting and arson were reported from various parts of the city as well as neighbouring Thane, Nashik and Pune districts. Miscreants attacked a toll booth in north-east suburb of Mulund and set one of the counters on fire.

About 25-30 taxis were also attacked in Tardeo, South Mumbai, police said. In two separate instances at Borivali, miscreants tried to burn a truck and an autorickshaw, they said. Some MNS activists allegedly tried to block roads in neighbouring Navi Mumbai but were prevented, police said. Most taxis and rickshaws were off the roads and shops as well as educational institutes remained closed.

Reports from across Mumbai spoke of voluntary bandh at many places, and many schools shut down for the day anticipating trouble.

Local trains reported a slight delay, while there was no disruption in road traffic on the main arteries.