A Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Mumbai issued a bailable warrant against actor Kangana Ranaut in the defamation case filed against her by lyricist Javed Akhtar when she failed to appear in court.
Akhtar had filed a private complaint against Ranaut under Sections 499 and 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code in November last year. The complaint was filed through advocate Jai Bharadwaj, alleging that Ranaut had made defamatory remarks against Akhtar to Republic TV sometime after actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death by suicide.
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The Court had earlier directed Ranaut to appear before it on March 1. Since Ranaut did not appear on Monday, the metropolitan magistrate court issued a bailable warrant against her and adjourned the matter for further hearing on March 22.
Advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for Akhtar, said Ranaut was aware of the case, but still hasn’t appeared. Neither has the actor filed an exemption application, she said.
Ranaut’s lawyer Advocate Rizwan Siddiquee opposed the plea and submitted that he would be challenging the order as the verification of four witnesses in the case was not done. To which, metropolitan magistrate RR Khan said Siddiquee is at liberty to challenge the order (issue of process & summons) but that cannot absolve Ranaut from appearance here.