Hanuman Chalisa row: MP Navneet Rana and husband denied discharge by court

A special court in Mumbai has rejected the discharge application of MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana in connection with the Hanuman Chalisa row from last year. The court stated that there was enough evidence to prosecute the couple under section 353 of the IPC. The Ranas were accused of resisting arrest and obstructing police personnel at their Khar residence.

MUMBAI: A special MP/MLA court on Tuesday rejected the discharge application of independent MP from Amravati Navneet Rana and her husband, MLA Ravi Rana, in connection with the Hanuman Chalisa row from last year.

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While rejecting the application special judge RN Rokade observed that there was adequate evidence to prosecute the couple. “Prima facie there is enough evidence against the applicants (Ranas) based on the statements of the witnesses. Thus, crime under section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) is made out,” he added.

The case was registered at the Khar police station, where the Ranas were accused of resisting arrest and obstructing police personnel at their Khar residence. A charge sheet was filed, leading to their appearance before the Borivali Metropolitan Magistrate Court and subsequent bail. However, due to the nature of the charges, the case was transferred to the sessions court.

In their discharge plea, the Ranas argued that the video footage relied upon by the police merely depicted a stir created by Shiv Sena members to tarnish their reputation. According to the First Information Report (FIR), on April 23, 2022, the couple had announced that they would recite Hanuman Chalisa in front of the private residence of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, the chief minister of Maharashtra.

Observing that the leader and party workers of Shiv Sena opposed the announcement aggressively, a bandobast was set up outside the Khar residence of the applicants, aiming to ensure law and order.

The police were later informed that there was an offence at Khar police station under section 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and that the applicants had to be taken into custody.

When the police tried to inform the applicants that it was necessary to arrest them and asked them to accompany them to the police station, the Ranas allegedly behaved arrogantly, argued, threatened, and manhandled the police personnel, refusing to cooperate with the police.

Thus, on 24 April 2022, a complaint was lodged at the Khar police station for disobeying the police and obstructing them from discharging their duties.