Overview
- The MNS leader appeared at the Nerul police station on Sunday and accepted a Section 41(A) notice, with officers set to record his detailed statement in the coming days and the option to summon him again.
- The case stems from his November 16 act of removing the cover from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, with police booking him and nearly 70 others for unlawful assembly and making no arrests so far.
- Police estimated roughly 300 supporters accompanied his convoy, extra personnel were deployed for crowd control, and the visit remained peaceful after he first paid respects at the memorial.
- Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation officials say no permission had been granted to unveil the statue as the formal inauguration awaited administrative clearances, and an official ceremony planned for Friday went ahead without Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
- Thackeray portrayed the case as acceptable political cost, vowed to unveil other long-delayed statues, welcomed Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske’s criticism of a planned event by minister Ganesh Naik, and flagged a forthcoming MNS campaign to conserve historical forts.