Javed Akhtar challenges magisterial order against him on Kangana Ranaut’s complaint

In her complaint, Ranaut had said that in March 2016, when she was involved in a personal dispute with a co-actor, Akhtar had called her and her sister to his house in Juhu. He called them “with malafide intention and ulterior motive” and “criminally intimidated her

MUMBAI: Lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar filed a revision petition on Tuesday before the sessions court against a summons sent to him by a magistrate’s court on July 24 in connection with a complaint filed by actor Kangana Ranaut.

Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi and Indian screenwriter, lyricist Javed Akhtar attend the screening of the Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' in Mumbai on July 25, 2023. (Photo by SUJIT JAISWAL / AFP) (AFP)

The magistrate court had said that there were sufficient grounds to proceed against Akhtar, including criminal intimidation.

In her complaint, Ranaut had said that in March 2016, when she was involved in a personal dispute with a co-actor, Akhtar had called her and her sister to his house in Juhu. He called them “with malafide intention and ulterior motive” and “criminally intimidated and threatened” them to tender a written apology to the co-actor to favour him, the complaint said.

In the appeal filed by the lyricist, through his advocate Jay Bharadwaj, it is alleged that the magistrate court passed the order hastily. It is contended that the magistrate court failed to consider that the complaint filed by Ranaut failed to appreciate that ‘no cogent explanation for the inordinate and fatal delay has been accorded by Respondent No. 2 (Ranuat) in her complaint.’

Akhtar’s plea is scheduled to come up for hearing on August 8.

“The maximum time for filing a complaint for an offence punishable up to 3 years, is 3 years from the date of the alleged incident. To elaborate, it has been admitted by Respondent No. 2 that the time of the alleged incident is March 2016 and as such, Respondent No. 2 could have filed the complaint by March 2019. The record shows that the complaint was filed on September, 16, 2021 i.e., after five-and-a-half-years from the time of the alleged incident and two-and-a-half-years after the expiry of the limitation period,” reads the petition filed by Akhtar.

Besides, he claimed that the said complaint is filed as a counter blast to the defamation case filed by Akhtar against her. He claimed that this was filed only to harass him, and she also seriously did not pursue the complaint as even after filing complaint in September 2021, she appeared to give her statement only in July 2022 that too after court’s remarks.

The metropolitan magistrate (Andheri court) RM Shaikh on July 24. Akhtar has been asked to appear before the court on August 5. The magistrate has dropped the extortion charges against him and said there is sufficient ground to proceed against Akhtar for criminal intimidation.