Union minister Narayan Rane approached the Bombay High Court on Tuesday, challenging the FIRs lodged against him over his remarks against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, and sought protection from arrest.

Rane's petition, filed through advocate Aniket Nikam, sought the FIRs to be quashed.

The BJP leader also sought an interim order granting him protection from arrest or any coercive action.

The petition was mentioned before a division bench of Justices S S Shinde and N J Jamadar, seeking urgent hearing on Tuesday itself.

The bench, however, refused to hear it and said mentioning (of the petition) was not allowed and asked the lawyer to follow the procedure.

"File an application before the Registry department seeking urgent hearing and then we will consider," the court said.

The petition has challenged the FIRs lodged against Rane in Pune, Nashik and Mahad in Raigad.

Rane had sparked off a row over his remarks about slapping CM Thackeray for what he claimed as the latter's ignorance of the year of India's independence.

Nashik Police Commissioner Deepak Pandey on Tuesday issued orders for the immediate arrest of Rane after an FIR was registered against him in the north Maharashtra city over his remarks against the CM.