Bailable warrant issued against Kangana on Javed Akhtar’s complaint

Ranaut’s lawyer told the court that they wish to challenge the proceedings. However, the lawyer did not file an application seeking exemption for the actress to appear before the court

A metropolitan magistrate court on Monday issued a bailable warrant against actress Kangana Ranaut on a complaint lodged by lyricist Javed Akhtar alleging that she made defamatory comments about him during an interview.

Kangana Ranaut. (HT archive)

The magistrate court had, on February 1, issued summons to the actress to appear before the court today. She did not appear before the magistrate. Instead, her lawyer Rizwan Siddiquee was present on her behalf.

“Ranaut’s lawyer told the court that they wish to challenge the proceedings. However, the lawyer did not file an application seeking exemption for the actress to appear before the court. In the absence of the plea, we moved an application for issuance of a non-bailable warrant against her,” said Akhtar’s advocate Jai Bharadwaj.

The court issued bailable warrant against the actress and posted the matter for further hearing on March 26.

On Juhu Police’s report, the court ordered Ranaut to appear before it on March 1.

Akhtar, through his lawyer Niranjan Mundargi, had filed a private complaint against the actress under sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.

He claimed Ranaut defamed him during one television interview, claiming he threatened her to withdraw case against Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan. He alleged that Ranaut has called him a part of the “suicide gang” and that he allegedly threatened her, saying if she didn’t back out, she would have no option but to die by suicide. Akhtar claimed that such comments have caused immense damage to his reputation.