The Bombay high court on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest to actor Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel in a sedition case. The court was hearing the case against Ranaut and her sister after an FIR was registered against them.
The high court, however, directed them to appear before Mumbai Police on January 8.
The FIR was registered following orders from a magistrate’s court in Mumbai’s Bandra directing the police to carry out an inquiry against Ranaut and her sister after a complaint lodged against them for allegedly “trying to create hatred and communal tension” through their social media posts.
The complaint was file by casting director Munawwar Ali. He said that the sisters, through their social media posts, have defamed the entire film industry.
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The sisters had approached the high court seeking to quash the FIR and the October 17 order passed by the magistrate.
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{{/usCountry}}Ranaut and Chandel’s advocate Rizwan Siddiquee assured the court that the sisters shall appear before the Bandra police in Mumbai on January 8 from 12 noon to 2 pm for recording of their statements.
The court also asked why sedition charges were invoked in the case.
“Why is the sedition section invoked? Why are we treating citizens of our country like this?” Justice SS Shinde said.
The high court said it would consider this issue at length on the next date. The court posted the plea for further hearing on January 11.
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The case was heard by two-judge bench of justices Shinde and M S Karnik.