Javed Akhtar defamation case: Kangana Ranaut appears before Mumbai magistrate court
Says she has lost faith in this court
Mumbai, Sep 20: Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut appeared before a Mumbai court on Monday in connection with a criminal defamation complaint filed against her by lyricist Javed Akhtar, and said she had "lost faith" in the magistrate's court as it indirectly "threatened" her of issuing a warrant if she failed to appear before it in a bailable offence.
Ranaut also moved a counter complaint in the court against Akhtar for alleged "extortion and criminal intimidation", and her lawyer informed the court that they had filed an application before chief metropolitan magistrate, seeking transfer of hearing into the complaint to another court.
The court had last week said it will issue a warrant against Ranaut if she fails to appear on the next date of hearing on September 20.
Ranaut appeared before Andheri metropolitan magistrate R R Khan on Monday for the first time since summons was issued to her in February this year, and completed the bail formalities.
As the matter came up for hearing, her lawyer Rizwan Siddique told that court that Ranaut does not want to proceed with this court (in connection with the complaint).
Siddique said they have "lost faith in the court as it seems to be biased".
The court has indirectly "threatened" her of issuing a warrant on two occasions in a non-cognisable, compoundable and bailable offence, where as per law regular presence is not required, the lawyer claimed.
Ranaut has been called before the court without any cause or reason, he said.
He further submitted that till today, there is no order as to why she is required to be present regularly for the bailable, non-cognisable and compoundable offence.
Akhtar's lawyer Jay Bharadwaj termed Ranaut's plea for transfer of complaint to another court as "extremely bizzare".
"They have neither given any notice nor a copy of the (transfer) application to us," he said.
The court will hear the matter next on November 15.
Earlier this month, the Bombay High Court dismissed a plea filed by Ranaut seeking quashing of proceedings initiated against her by the local court on the criminal defamation complaint filed by Akhtar.
Justice Revati Mohite-Dere had said in the order that there was no procedural illegality or irregularity in the metropolitan magistrate's order initiating the proceedings.
Akhtar (76) had filed the complaint in the court in November last year, claiming Ranaut had made defamatory statements against him in a television interview, which allegedly damaged his reputation.
In his complaint, Akhtar claimed that Ranaut dragged his name during an interview while referring to a 'coterie' existing in Bollywood, following the alleged suicide committed by actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June last year.
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PM Modi praises cricketer Mohammed Shami in election rally in UP's Amroha
Amroha (UP), Apr 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday praised Team India pacer Mohammed Shami during an election rally here.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said, "The whole world has seen the amazing feat that bhai Mohammed Shami did in the Cricket World Cup. The central government has given Arjuna Award to bhai Mohammed Shami for his excellent performance in sports."
"Yogi ji's government has moved two steps forward. Yogi ji is also building a stadium for the youth here. I congratulate the people of Amroha very much for this," Modi said.
Shami had grabbed seven wickets in the World Cup semifinal against New Zealand in Mumbai. He is currently ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) owing to a left ankle injury.
The prime minister also praised the 'dholak' (a musical instrument) of Amroha.
Situated on the banks of Mother Ganga, this land has witnessed the footprints of Lord Shri Krishna, PM Modi said.
"This is the land of brave people like Raja Gaj Singh and Thakur Jairam Singh. I have been given dholak, another identity of Amroha and the beat of the dholak here resonates far and wide. Due to the efforts of our Yogi ji, the BJP government has given the GI tag to Amroha's dholak and given it an identity in the entire world," Modi said.
Voting in the second phase will take place on April 26 and it will cover eight parliamentary constituencies of Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautambuddh Nagar, Bulandshahr (SC), Aligarh and Mathura.
In Amroha, the main electoral contest is between Kanwar Singh Tanwar of the BJP and Kunwar Danish Ali of the Congress. BSP's Mujahid Husain is also in the poll fray. There are a total of 12 candidates contesting from Amroha.
