Mumbai Police object to MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi's bail, notice served
A special court here on Monday issued a notice to independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Rana, directing them to appear before it on May 18 in connection with an application filed by Mumbai Police challenging their bail in a sedition case.
A special court here on Monday issued a notice to independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Rana, directing them to appear before it on May 18 in connection with an application filed by Mumbai Police challenging their bail in a sedition case.
The police sought cancellation of the couple’s bail on the ground that they had allegedly violated one of the conditions imposed by a sessions court while granting them the relief last week.
Taking note of the plea, special judge R N Rokade issued a notice and directed the couple to appear before it on May 18. “Issue notice to the respondents (Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana) to appear before this court on May 18,” the court said.
On April 23, Amravati MP Navneet and Ravi, independent MLA from Badnera assembly in the district, were arrested by Khar Police under sections 124-A (sedition), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) for their insistence on chanting the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s residence “to remind the Shiv Sena leader of his Hindutva roots”.
The couple’s public declaration led to confrontations between supporters of the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), prompting the chief minister to say that anybody could chant the Hanuman Chalisa at his residence, but no one had the right to threaten the Shiv Sena.
On May 4, the sessions court granted the bail to the couple on furnishing a personal bond of ₹50,000 each and with one or two sureties in the same amount. The court granted the duo eight weeks to produce the sureties and allowed their release on provisional cash bail.
The court also directed the couple not to commit a similar offence while on bail, and not address press on any subject related to the matter, which has triggered a political row across the state. “Breach of the conditions will entail cancellation of the bail forthwith,” the court order, a copy of which HT had seen, said.
In their plea filed through special public prosecutor Pradip Gharat, Khar Police claimed the couple had violated the condition of speaking to the media about the case.
“The accused persons (Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana) have given interviews to media since their release and hence, flouted the condition imposed by the special court while granting them bail. We are seeking for the bail to be cancelled and a warrant to be issued to the accused and they be taken in custody forthwith,” Gharat said.
The Ranas, however, denied having committed any contempt of court by speaking to the media.
“We did not talk about the offence, how it was registered against us, reciting ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ and Matoshree. We spoke about how I was ill-treated from the lockup to jail and how my health issues were avoided (ignored),” Navneet told reporters here.
Ranas to approach PM Modi, Shah
Meanwhile, the couple said they will approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to raise the issue of their alleged ill-treatment by Maharashtra authorities when they were in prison.
“We are going to Delhi today and meet all the leaders who respect women. I am going to meet the Prime Minister, (Union) home minister and Lok Sabha Speaker and tell them how we were ill-treated from a lockup to jail. I am going to complain about it,” Navneet, who was flanked by her husband, said.
Describing Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut as a “parrot”, Navneet Rana alleged that he had talked about “burying the couple”.
“We had filed a complaint against it here, but no action was taken. So, I am going to Delhi to raise the issue,” she said.
