Mumbai: A magistrate court in Yavatmal Wednesday disposed of the defamation case against Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and three others, and acquitted them. A lawyer had filed the defamation case against Mr Thackeray for allegedly making fun of a protest march carried out by the Maratha community in 2016.

Judicial magistrate first class Anant Himma-trao Bajad Wednesday acquitted Mr Thackeray — executive editor, printer and publisher as well as cartoonist of Saamna, the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena, and disposed of the case.

The magistrate in his order noted that as per the orders of the district court, his court was acquitting the accused. At the time of passing order, the complainant and his lawyer and even those charged were absent.

Complainant, advocate Datta Suryawanshi, had filed a defamation case against Mr Thackeray and other staff of Saamna for allegedly making fun of a protest march held by the Maratha community. According to the complainant, a caricature was published in Saamna showing a man kissing a girl to depict the “muk morcha” or silent rally as a “muka morcha” or kissing rally.

Advocate Suryaw-anshi, who belongs to the Maratha community and is a follower of the “Shiv Dharma” claimed that he and his family members participated in the silent rally held in Yavatmal on September 25, 2016. The rally was organised for various demands of the Maratha community and also to protest the incident of Kopardi (gruesome rape and murder of a minor Maratha girl).