Amazon threat: Final court hearing against MNS chief on Jan 5

A civil court here will hold a final hearing on January 5 on a suit filed by Amazon against the MNS and its chief Raj Thackeray over the alleged threat by his party for non-inclusion of Marathi as an option on the e-commerce giant's app, a lawyer said on Thursday.

Mumbai:A civil court here will hold final hearing on January 5 on a suit filed by Amazon against the MNS and its chief Raj Thackeray over alleged threat by his party for non-inclusion of Marathi as an option on the e-commerce giant's app, a lawyer said on Thursday.

Thackeray and MNS office-bearer Akhil Chitre, another respondent in the case, on Tuesday filed their affidavits in response to the suit following which the civil court at suburban Dindoshi posted the matter for final hearing on January 5, the plaintiff's lawyer, Akshay Purkar, said.

Amazon has filed the civil suit against the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and its affiliate (workers'' union) which had allegedly threatened to block the firm''s operations in Mumbai if it did not include Marathi as one of the preferred languages on its mobile application or website.

On December 13, Purkar had told the court that the MNS and its workers were threatening the plaintiff (the company) and resorting to unfair labour trade practices by inciting its employees through their "arm-twisting tactics".

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Purkar had then sought interim relief against the party and its workers.

The court had on December 13, after hearing brief arguments, noted that protection is required to be given (to company and its staff).

At this stage, it appears that protection is required to be given for the working of the plaintiff company, otherwise there will be disturbance in their business activities, the court had said.

The court had restrained the MNS and its activists from obstructing the plaintiff or its employees from working at the e-commerce firm''s site or disturbing its business activities.

PTI