Mumbai court issues bailable warrant against Kangana Ranaut on Javed Akhtar’s defamation complaint

Kangana Ranaut has landed herself with trouble again. As on Monday, a Mumbai court issued a bailable warrant against the Panga actress after she failed to appear before the court in a defamation case filed by writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar. A metropolitan magistrate’s court had summoned Ranaut based on the complaint filed by Akhtar.

In his complaint, the veteran lyricist had alleged that Kangana had made defamatory statements against him on national and international television, “in what appears to be a clear campaign to malign and tarnish the reputation of the complainant (Akhtar) in the eyes of the general public”.

According to the PTI report, after hearing arguments that were made on Akhtar’s behalf by lawyer Niranjan Mundergi, the court issued a process against Ranaut for the offences under sections 499 and 500 of the IPC pertaining to defamation. The lyricist was also present in the court on the day. As per law, now Ranaut had the option of either challenge the court’s order summoning her or appear before it and deny the charges made against her. In his complaint, Akhtar says he is a self-made man, who reached Mumbai on October 4, 1964, with Rs 27, two pairs of clothes and a few books. He was 19 then.

“The complainant is one of the most senior artistes in the film industry with his successful career spanning over a period of more than 55 years, which in itself is a rare achievement. Apart from this, he was also nominated as a member of Rajya Sabha during the period March 2010 to March 2016,” the plea stated about Akhtar’s reputation.

Kangana’s lawyer- Rizwan Siddiquee – opposed the plea and submitted he would be challenging the order as verification of four witnesses, in the case, was not done on oath. “You are at liberty to challenge the order (issue of process & summons) but that cannot absolve you from appearance here,” metropolitan magistrate RR Khan said while passing the order. However, Kangana failed to appear before the court on March 1 following which it has issued a bailable warrant against her. The warrant is returnable on March 22, 2021.

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