21 May,2026 02:18 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. File Pic
A court in Maharashtra's Thane on Thursday acquitted Raj Thackeray and other accused in a 2008 case linked to the alleged assault on Railway Recruitment Board examination candidates at Kalyan railway station by activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), reported PTI.
The case had drawn significant political attention at the time amid controversy over attacks on candidates from northern states appearing for railway recruitment examinations in Maharashtra.
A total of eight persons, including Thackeray, were named as accused in the case. During the course of the trial, two of the accused died, reported PTI.
Advocate Sailesh Sadekar, who represented the accused in the matter, said the magistrate pronounced the acquittal in open court on Thursday, reported PTI.
He said the detailed judgment and reasoning behind the order are yet to be made available.
The case pertained to allegations that MNS activists had assaulted candidates appearing for Railway Recruitment Board examinations at Kalyan railway station in 2008.
At the time, the incidents had triggered widespread political debate and protests across several states.
During the trial, the defence argued that the prosecution had failed to establish Raj Thackeray's presence at the alleged scene of the assault, reported PTI.
According to the defence, neither the chargesheet nor oral testimonies presented before the court provided evidence connecting the MNS chief directly to the incident, reported PTI.
The defence also challenged allegations that Thackeray had delivered provocative speeches related to the incident, stating that the prosecution had failed to produce supporting evidence before the court, reported PTI.
Lawyers representing the accused further argued that prosecution witnesses were unable to identify the accused persons during the proceedings, reported PTI.
The defence additionally questioned the prosecution's documentation regarding the alleged victims in the case.
According to submissions made before the court, although the prosecution claimed that nearly 150 students had appeared for the railway recruitment examination, no admit cards, identity documents or official examination records were produced during the trial, reported PTI.
The defence maintained that the lack of documentary evidence weakened the prosecution's case.
The court eventually acquitted all the surviving accused after hearing arguments from both sides.
The 2008 incidents involving railway recruitment candidates had become a major political issue in Maharashtra and several northern states, with allegations of attacks targeting candidates from outside Maharashtra.
The controversy had intensified debates around regional identity politics and employment opportunities in the state.
Raj Thackeray and the MNS had at the time defended their stand on prioritising local employment opportunities for Maharashtrian youth, although the party had denied involvement in acts of violence.
(With inputs from PTI)
