The Bombay High Court in the case observed wherein the Actor Kangana Ranaut has approached the court seeking a stay on the criminal defamation case moved against her by lyricist Javed Akhtar in 2020 and it has been prayed for the case to be heard along with the cross-complaint she subsequently filed against him.
In the present case, the defamation case was filed by Akhtar against Ranaut is ongoing before the Magistrate in Andheri, Kangana’s complaint against Akhtar was stayed by the Sessions Court.
It has been stated in her writ plea that both the cases had their genesis in a meeting in 2016 therefore they should be tried together.
The petition moved stated that it being pertinent to note that the cases filed by the Petitioner and the Respondent No. 2 against each other are both cross cases arising out of the same incident which occurred in the month of March 2016 and were therefore clubbed together so that they could be heard and tried simultaneously by the same Learned Magistrate.
Therefore, the Javed Akhtar filed a complaint on November 03 wherein the complaint was filed before the Magistrate wherein it is alleged that Ranaut defamed and damaged his ‘immaculate reputation’ by dragging his name into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in her interview with Republic TV Anchor Arnab Goswami, on July 19, 2020.
The court stated that she currently facing trial under Section 499 and Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code, IPC.
The court observed that Ranaut hit back by filing a counter-complaint against Akhtar in the same Mumbai court, wherein it alleged criminal intimidation and insult to modesty under Section 506 and Section 509 of the IPC based on the 2016 incident.
It has been alleged by Kangana during the 2016 meeting that Akhtar criminally intimidated her demanding she apologize to a co-star.
The Mumbai court in the case observed and took cognizance of the complaint of Ranaut’s and has issued the summons to Akhtar.
Therefore, he challenged the said order in the session court, wherein its stayed the proceedings against the Ranaut’s complaint until the disposal of his revision petition.
Meanwhile, the Akhtar’s defamation case against the actress is still ongoing in the Mumbai magistrate court.
It has also been argued in the writ plea moved through Advocate Rizwan Siddiquee that both cross-complaints arise from the same 2016 incident and must be tried simultaneously to avoid prejudice against her.
Therefore, the actress has sought an urgent stay on Akhtar’s defamation proceedings so that both cases can be heard together.
The bench headed by Justice Revati Mohite Dere will hear the matter.
Accordingly, the court listed the matter for further consideration on January 09, 2024.