Akhtar’s defamation case: Kangana Ranaut moves sessions court

Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut has moved the sessions court, challenging, the bailable warrant issued by a metropolitan magistrate against her for failing to personally appear for the hearing of a defamation complaint filed against her by lyricist Javed Akhtar

Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut has moved the sessions court, challenging, the bailable warrant issued by a metropolitan magistrate against her for failing to personally appear for the hearing of a defamation complaint filed against her by lyricist Javed Akhtar.

Kangana Ranaut. (HT PHOTO)

Confirming the development, Ranaut’s lawyer, advocate Rizwan Siddiquee said, “We have challenged the process issued by the metropolitan magistrate, Andheri court. The matter is now pending for revision before the sessions court.”

“It is our claim before the sessions court that mandatory compliance of section 200 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPc) was not followed in the matter, as the four witnesses named by Akhtar, in his complaint, have not been examined on oath. Without the said mandatory compliance process was issued under section 204 CrPC,” Siddiquee said.

A metropolitan magistrate court had on March 1, issued a bailable warrant against Ranaut for failing to appear for hearing on the defamation complaint filed Akhtar. The court had on February 1 issued summons to Ranaut to appear before the court on March 1. The actor failed to appear in person but her lawyer, Siddiquee, appeared on her behalf.

For the non-appearance of the actress, Akhtar’s legal team sought a bailable warrant against the actress.

Akhtar in his complaint has alleged that Ranaut had made several defamatory statements about him in an interview given to a news channel in July 2020, alleging that the 76-year-old writer/lyricist runs a suicide gang in Bollywood and he had threatened her to settle her dispute with actor Hrithik Roshan, failing which she will be compelled to commit suicide.

Akhtar has claimed that her claims were entirely false and the statements have harmed his reputation.