HC dismisses Kangana Ranaut's plea seeking stay on Javed Akhtar's defamation complaint proceedings
Mumbai, Feb 2: The Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed actor Kangana Ranaut's plea seeking a stay on the proceedings of a defamation complaint filed against her by lyricist Javed Akhtar.
A single bench of Justice P D Naik said the trial in the complaint filed by Akhtar had already commenced, and hence, the relief sought by Ranaut could not be granted at this stage.
Last month, the actor filed a petition in the high court seeking a stay on Akhtar's criminal defamation complaint filed in 2020 and prayed for the case to be heard along with the cross-complaint she subsequently filed against him.
"The trial in the complaint by Akhtar has already commenced. The applicant (Ranaut) has preferred this application at a belated stage. Akhtar's complaint is first in point of time and process (notice) has been issued. Considering the factual matrix, no relief can be granted," the court said.
While the defamation case Akhtar filed against Ranaut is ongoing before the magistrate in Andheri, the sessions court has stayed the latter's complaint against the lyricist.
Ranaut, in her petition, stated that both cases had their genesis in a meeting (between Ranaut and Akhtar) in 2016, and hence, they should be tried together.
The lyricist opposed the petition and, in an affidavit through his advocate Jay Bharadwaj, said that Ranaut has not challenged any order passed by the magistrate's court and has, without any basis, sought a stay on the proceedings.
Akhtar had alleged that it was an attempt to delay the proceedings on his defamation complaint.
In his complaint, the lyricist had claimed that Ranaut defamed and damaged his "immaculate reputation" by dragging his name into actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death in her interview with a news channel in July 2020.
In 2021, Ranaut hit back by filing a counter-complaint against Akhtar before a magistrate's court, alleging criminal intimidation and insult to modesty.
The actor had alleged that during her meeting with the lyricist at his residence in 2016, he had criminally intimidated her demanding that she apologise to a co-star.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
