Mumbai News

Bombay HC continues protection from coercive action for Kangana, sister – The Hindu

On October 17, 2020, Metropolitan Magistrate Jaydeo Y. Ghule had directed the FIR to be registered against the sisters.

The Bombay High Court on Friday continued protection from coercive action to actor Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel by the Mumbai Police in a case where they are charged with sedition and promoting hatred and outrage among communities.

A Division Bench of Justices S.S. Shinde and Manish Pitale was hearing a plea filed by them to quash the FIR and order by a magistrate court in October 2020 to register the FIR. The complaint was filed against them by Munnawarali alias Sahil Ahsrafali Sayyed, a feature film casting director.

Advocate Rizwan Siddiqui, representing Ms. Ranaut, said that the complaint filed before the magistrate is different from the one which senior advocate Rizwan Merchant appearing for Mr. Sayyed has filed before the High Court.

Mr. Siddhiqui also contended that the documents relied upon by Mr. Sayyed while filing the affidavit before the High Court were not a part of the documents submitted before the Bandra magistrate court.

The Bench therefore directed all the records and proceedings filed before the magistrate to be produced before the Bench, and adjourned the matter to March 12.

The sisters have been charged under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code.

In the last hearing, the court was informed that despite an assurance given by Ms. Ranaut, she had not stopped posting on social media about the current case. Mr. Merchant said, “On the day of being questioned by the police, she went to the extent of saying that she is being tortured.”

On October 17, 2020, Metropolitan Magistrate Jaydeo Y. Ghule had directed the FIR to be registered against the sisters.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/bombay-hc-continues-protection-from-coercive-action-for-kangana-sister/article33942847.ece