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Sena upset over arrest of Sainiks in BCCI case

The Shiv Sena has expressed its criticism over the arrest of 14 Shiv Sainiks on charges of attacking the office of the Board of Control for Cricket in India in Bombay on Monday.

Raj Thackeray, nephew of Sena chief Bal Thackeray, said the 14 Shiv Sainiks were innocent and were not in the city when the incident took place. "Just because the police could not nab the real culprits, innocent people have been arrested," he charged.

Chief Minister Manohar Joshi also echoed similar sentiments. He said the 14 persons arrested have stated that they are innocent. He also said that no action would be taken against them since the "issue was now over."

Joshi had earlier visited the ransacked BCCI office at Brabourne stadium in south Bombay.

Sources at Mantralaya, the state secretariat, said the chief minister would meet BCCI President Raj Singh Dungarpur and executive secretary Sharad Diwadkar.

The meeting was held at 9.30 am, before the chief minister left for the Hotel Airport Centaur for a meeting with Bal Thackeray, Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani and Information and Broadcasting Minister Pramod Mahajan.

Sources said Joshi, who is also the vice-president of BCCI had urged Dungarpur to reconsider its decision to shift the BCCI headquarters to the Eden Gardens in Calcutta. Earlier, the chief minister has also spoken to International Cricket Council President Jagmohan Dalmiya, who is also the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal.

The chief minister also assured protection to the BCCI headquarters and police protection for the players.

RELATED REPORT:
14 Sainiks detained, remanded to police custody, in BCCI case

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