Ahead of ED Summon, Raj Thackeray gets support from cousin Uddhav; police issues notice to MNS workers

Meanwhile, in order to avoid any untoward situation , police has issued a notice to the MNS workers under section 149 of CrPC.

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New Delhi: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray who has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday, seems to have found an unexpected support from estranged cousin and Shiv Senna President Uddhav Thackeray. The Shiv Sena is the ruling partner of the BJP in the Central and Maharashtra governments. "I do not expect any solid outcome from the inquiry," Uddhav told reporters in a brief reply when asked about the ED's notice to Raj. Uddhav's comments assume significance given that assembly elections in the state are round the corner. Meanwhile, in order to avoid any untoward situation , police has issued a notice to the MNS workers under section 149 of Code of Criminal Preocedure allows police to prevent cognizable offences. Every police officer may interpose for the purpose of preventing, and shall, to the best of his ability, prevent, the commission of any cognizable offence. In a statement a day before, Raj said he would "honour" the summons, and appealed his workers to maintain "peace and harmony" and not to resort to violent protests. Raj has been summoned by the anti-money laundering agency in connection with its probe into the alleged irregularities relating to loans and equity investment worth over Rs 450 crore by IL&FS in Kohinoor CTNL Infrastructure Company. The firm was founded by former Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi's son Unmesh, Raj Thackeray, and latter's close aide and builder Rajan Shirodkar to purchase and develop the land of the defunct Kohinoor Mill. Raj had reportedly exited from the company in 2008. Questionning of Unmesh has been going on at the Mumbai office of the ED since August 19. Earlier, Sena leader Sanjay Raut had said Raj getting the notice should not be viewed through the prism of politics. Opposition parties in Maharashtra, including the Congress and the NCP, have rallied behind Raj, terming the ED move a vendetta politics by the ruling BJP. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said the BJP didn't have any role in the ED notice.