Bal Thackeray will trial: If Raut doesn’t come for next hearing, we will make him come, says Bombay HC

Raut, the executive editor of Sena mouthpiece Saamana, was summoned in August for cross-examination in the trial over the validity of late Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s will, which has been challenged by his elder son Jaidev.

On Monday, the court was informed that Raut could not be present since he was not in town. Justice Patel has now directed the Sena leader to appear on October 27, warning that this was his “last chance” to respond to the summons.

On August 26 this year, the High Court issued summons to the editor or the executive editor of Saamana. While current Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is the editor of Saamana, Raut is the executive editor.The court had also summoned Saamana’s press photographer, Rajesh Waradkar.

Waradkar appeared in court on Monday and answered questions over having clicked some photographs of Bal Thackeray at a private event in December 2011.

Bal Thackeray had apparently signed a will in December 2011, leaving most of the family property and assets to Uddhav and his family. Jaidev has challenged the will, claiming that his father was of “unsound mind” at the time.

After Raut, the next person on the witness list is Jaidev’s wife Anuradha.