Image Courtesy:indiatoday.in
Mumbai Sessions Court on April 5, 2021 dismissed Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut’s revision application challenging the proceedings initiated against her by a magistrate’s court for allegedly defaming veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar.
Additional Sessions Judge S. U. Baghele at Dindoshi dismissed Ranaut’s challenge regarding the issuance of the process, the legality and validity of the February 1 order passed by the Andheri court and the following issuance of a bailable warrant against her for failing to appear before the court.
The actress’s lawyer Rizwan Siddiquee argued that the magistrate had not recorded complainant’s and witnesses’ statements before issuing a notice or proceeding with criminal complaints, as required by the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Meanwhile, Akhtar’s advocate Jay Bharadwaj had previously opposed her application stating that witnesses were to be examined only if they were present.
In the end, the court said, “No error in the impugned order, as regards its correctness or legality could be pointed out, nor it could be pointed out that there was any irregularity in the proceeding before the learned Magistrate.”
In November 2020, Akhtar filed a complaint against Ranaut for making defamatory statements against him during a television interview on Republic TV that allegedly damaged his reputation.
At the time, the concerned magistrate directed the Mumbai police to do a preliminary probe and later issued a bailable warrant against Ranaut on March 1, after she failed to appear before the court.
The warrant was cancelled on March 25 after the actress padi a cash bail of Rs. 20,000 and a surety of Rs 15,000.
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