The Karnataka High Court has set aside an order directing filing of FIR against Hindi film actor Kangana Ranaut for her tweets about the farmers’ protests. The order was passed by Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) at Tumkur under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure on a complaint made by one Advocate Ramesh Naik, alleging that Kangana promoted enmity between groups by comparing protesting farmers to terrorists.
The bench of Justice HP Sandesh has remitted the matter back to the Magistrate while observing some lacunae in the order. As per LiveLaw, the court said, “…nowhere the Magistrate made any reference that he has perused averments in the complaint and whether it amounts to an offence”. The court thus decided to remit the matter to the trial court “to look into whether averments made in the complainant amount to offence”.
At the same time, the court also rebuked the comments made by Ranaut in her tweet and addressing her counsel, said “Who gave you the power persons who support farmers bill are terrorist? If same words are uttered against you what will you going to do.. Celebrities while making statements should first hold their tongue”.
Ranaut, in her petition for quashing the FIR has said that the said tweet was not made with any intention to promote enmity and was instead done “solely with the intention to caution her followers”.
The tweet in question reads as follows:
“People who spread misinformation and rumours about CAA that caused riots are the same people who are now spreading misinformation about Farmers bill and causing terror in the nation, they are Terrorists. You very well know what I said but simply like to spread misinformation”.
Her petition states that her tweet is being misread, and the meaning and intention are being accorded to it in subterfuge to create misconception in the minds of the general public.
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