Twenty two Shiv Sena workers and leaders, including Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde and Thane Mayor Sanjay More, were on Wednesday acquitted by a local court in an attempt to murder and armed rioting case of 2005.

Thane: Twenty two Shiv Sena workers and leaders, including Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde and Thane Mayor Sanjay More, were on Wednesday acquitted by a local court in an attempt to murder and armed rioting case of 2005.

In 2005, when the then Shiv Sena leader and corporator Ravindra Phatak quit saffron party and joined Congress along with senior leader Narayan Rane, the accused had allegedly attacked the Shiv Sena branch office in Wagle Estate and ransacked it.

Phatak had registered a complaint against the Sena workers and leaders in this regard and the accused were being tried in the court since then.

However, three years back, Phatak returned to the Sena and was re-elected as its corporator, following which, he deposed in the court that he had no complaint against the accused.

Rajan Salunke, counsel for the accused, on Wednesday prayed that since the complainant himself has stated that he had no complaint against the accused, they should be discharged.

Accordingly, Additional Sessions Judge HM Patwardhan acquitted all the accused of all the charges.

PTI