THANE, May 22 -- The Thane District Court on Thursday acquitted all the accused, including Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, in a 2008 case related to the alleged assault on Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) examinees at Kalyan railway station and damage to railway property by MNS activists during the party's "sons of the soil" agitation. Of the eight accused named in the case, two died during the course of the trial. Chief judicial magistrate Abhijit Kulkarni acquitted all the accused, observing that the prosecution failed to produce admissible evidence during the trial. The court noted that the evidence on record was insufficient to establish Raj Thackeray's or other party members' direct involvement in the incident. A CD submitted by the prosecution, which allegedly contained records and evidence related to the case, was not accepted by the court as it lacked certification under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act. The case dates back to October 2008, when violence erupted at Kalyan railway station amid protests by MNS workers over the recruitment of candidates from north Indian states for railway jobs. Several students who had arrived to appear for Railway Recruitment Board examinations were allegedly assaulted, triggering outrage and political controversy across Maharashtra and other states. The agitation formed part of the MNS's aggressive "bhumiputra" plank, which demanded priority for local Marathi-speaking youth in jobs and opportunities. Speaking to HT, advocate Sayaji Nangre, who represented Raj Thackeray, said, "A total of 12 witnesses were examined before the court. The court observed that Raj Thackeray was not present at the spot of the incident and was in Nashik on that day, which ruled out any direct involvement. The allegations that he incited party workers through his speeches against the examinees could also not be proved by the prosecution. The CD submitted before the court was not admissible, and we do not know what it contained." Advocate Sailesh Sadekar, who also represented the accused, said the defence had argued during the trial that neither the charge sheet nor oral evidence established Raj Thackeray's presence at the spot of the alleged assault. The defence further contended that the prosecution failed to produce evidence of provocative speeches allegedly delivered by the MNS chief. The defence also argued that prosecution witnesses could not identify the accused persons. It further submitted that while the prosecution claimed around 150 students had appeared for the railway examination, no admit cards, identity proofs or related records were produced before the court. Raj Thackeray arrived at the Thane court around 12.15 pm and was acquitted within 20 minutes of the proceedings. Kailash Chaubey, a Uttar Pradesh native and MNS member, and his brother were among those acquitted. He said, "We were fighting for the rights of the bhumiputra (sons of the soil). After more than 18 years, we have finally been acquitted. It is a huge relief."...