Thackeray off the hook in Mumbai riot cases?

SIGH OF RELIEF: At least nine criminal cases were filed against the Sena chief after the riots.

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Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court saying legal opinion is being sought on whether or not to reopen the 1993 Mumbai riots related cases against Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

The move has sparked off speculations that the state government wants to let Thackeray off.

At least nine criminal cases were filed against the Sena chief in 1993 for inflammatory writing in the party mouthpiece Saamna.

"Only the High Court observations have been quoted. If any new evidence comes up, we will appeal," says Deputy Chief Minister, R R Patil.

The government's affidavit is in response to a petition filed about four years ago. In the apex court by a social organisation Bombay Aman Committee demanding re-investigation into the riots cases.

Says petitioner Shakeel Ahmed, "The committee clearly names Bal Thackeray and says that he led the Sena like a commander and incited to kill Muslims."

A total of 253 riot related cases have been pending for over a decade.

The Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra has been claiming that all controversial cases of the 1993 riots will be re-investigated. But it's response to this affidavit seemed to indicate that the state government is only paying lip service to the issue due to political compulsions.