December 2: The case against Shiv Sena deputy leader Vijay Loke, in which he has been charged with threatening a Bandra woman in a property dispute, has taken an interesting turn. The Bombay High Court was today told that one of the four threatening calls received by Trudy Trindade on October 21, did originate from Sena Bhavan as alleged by the petitioner.

Counsel for Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited I S Shah today told the division bench of Justice A P Shah and J A Patil that one of the alleged threat calls emanated from the phone instrument (number 4225267) owned by the Shiv Sena since February 1990 and is located at Madhyavarti Karyalaya at Sena Bhavan, Dadar. Trudy Trindade had received four calls, two on the MTNL line and two on her Max Touch mobile phone.

The judges were hearing a petition filed by Trindade against Vijay Loke. Trindade has asked the court for protection from Loke and other unidentified callers who threatened them with dire consequences if they did not meet Sena supremo Bal Thackeray for settling a property dispute over Marina Resorts in Goa. She has alleged non-cooperation from Mumbai police commissioner R H Mendonca when she approached him for protection.

The petition was first heard on November 24. The judges had then ordered notices to MTNL, BPL Mobile Services and Max Touch to trace the origin of these calls and disclose the callers' identity to the court and asked Mendonca to file an affidavit.

While the MTNL today attributed one of the calls to the Sena Bhavan, Max Touch and BPL Mobile have also presented their findings to the division bench. However, these findings, which will be crucial in identifying the callers, are still to be made public.

Loke's lawyer Shirish Gupte today sought additional time for filing an affidavit. He said that he had not yet been served the copy of the petition. Immediately, Trindade's counsel P A Kalambukadan, gave him a copy. Gupte added that Loke was ready for any probe. However, he said Loke had no reason to call up Trindade and when he did call up, as is the admitted fact, the intention was not to threaten. At this juncture the judges asked him to leave this aspect for a deeper probe.

Gupte objected to the allegation of ``waging war against the state'' as stated in the petition. He said that even if Loke is found guilty of extortion, how can that be termed as ``waging war against the state'' through ``parallel courts''. Justice Shah then asked Gupte if he was aware of these parallel courts. ``You will know about them in the newspapers. And especially when the CP has not acted upon Trindade's complaints, there is sign of tremendous pressure on the police.''

CP Mendonca filed an affidavit in the court today stating he had given a patient hearing to the petitioners and then directed them to the Joint Commissioner, Extortion Cell. He has denied any helplessness in handling the case. The case will resume on December 11.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.