Mumbai, May 7: The Maharashtra government sent mixed signals on Wednesday over whether it had a case against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for his fresh outburst against migrants last week.

While Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil said he would neither confirm nor deny if Raj had been given a clean chit, top police officers privately continued to insist that so far the evidence against him seemed weak and they might not be able to prosecute him this time around for inciting passions.

Patil, however, said that the Congress-NCP Government had been tough on Raj in February, indicating that if there was a case against him this time, he could be punished again. He also denied reports in a section of the media that he had threatened to quit on Tuesday after some Cabinet colleagues reportedly questioned the lack of action against Raj.

Stating that giving a clean chit to Raj was the job of the police commissioner, Patil said: “He has given a copy of the speech to the home department, which has forwarded it to the law and judiciary department.” “I will not comment on whether prima facie Raj is guilty or not. If I say that, what will the law department examine?”