An application was today filed by Raj Thackeray in the court of S M Bhuke, Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Ambejogai, seeking dropping of charges registered against him by the local police in 2008, Public Prosecutor S B Giri said.
Raj, along with nine other party activists, had been booked under sections 109 (punishment for abetment), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (Punishment for rioting), 336 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others), 427 (Mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) on October 22, 2008 after two state transport buses were damaged by MNS activists at Sanai village in Ambjogai tehsil.
Bus driver Ramchandra Munde had lodged the FIR against Raj and other accused with Ambajogai Police.
Counsels representing the MNS chief argued that Raj was not present at the spot of the incident and hence his name should be dropped from the chargesheet. The court has posted the hearing to September 1.
Earlier, the court granted Raj bail on personal bond of Rs 15,000 after cancelling the arrest warrant issued against him for his failure to appear before the court.
A local court in Mazalgaon in the same district yesterday granted bail to the MNS chief in the similar case.