After withdrawing his plea from the Supreme Court, Sunil Shukla, head of the Uttar Bhartiya Vikas Sena, has approached the Bombay High Court seeking protection and legal recourse against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray and his party.

Shukla’s petition requests police protection for himself and his family and calls on the Election Commission of India to take action under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, including possible derecognition of the MNS for allegedly fostering hatred and animosity.

The plea also asks the court to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate instances of hate speech, threats, and acts of violence by MNS cadres. As an interim measure, Shukla seeks to restrain Raj Thackeray from delivering provocative speeches.

Earlier, Shukla had approached the Supreme Court, alleging that Maharashtra authorities and police failed to act on his repeated complaints against MNS workers for harassment, threats, and violence. He maintained that his advocacy for the rights of north Indians made him a target of intimidation by the MNS and its affiliates.

In the High Court petition, Shukla detailed an incident on October 6, 2024, when around 30 individuals linked to the MNS and allied groups allegedly stormed his party office and attempted to ransack the premises. Following the attack, he and his family reportedly received multiple threatening calls from MNS members. He claimed that despite filing complaints and following up with authorities for over ten months, no action was taken.

Shukla initially filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court. During the hearing, a bench led by Chief Justice B. R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran questioned why he had not first approached the High Court, prompting Shukla’s counsel to withdraw the plea. The bench allowed the withdrawal without commenting on the merits and permitted him to pursue the matter in the Bombay High Court.