19 December,2023 08:44 PM IST | Mumbai | PTI
Navneet Rana and her husband Ravi Rana. File Pic/PTI
A special court on Tuesday rejected the discharge application filed by Independent Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Rana in a 2022 case of resisting arrest and obstructing cops from performing their duty linked to a row over recitation of Hanuman Chalisa, observing prima facie there was enough evidence against them.
The lawmaker couple has been booked under IPC section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty) for allegedly resisting and obstructing police personnel, who visited their residence in suburban Khar for arresting them after they announced a plan to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside the private residence of then-Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in Bandra.
Special judge of court for MP-MLA cases, R N Rokade, rejected the duo's plea seeking discharge in the case, saying prima facie there was enough evidence against the applicants based on the statements of witnesses.
Thus, crime under section 353 of the IPC is made out, noted the judge.
ALSO READ
Twelve-year-old boy killed in accident in Borivali, dumper truck driver held
Police launches dedicated helpline numbers for women safety
Mumbai: 20-year-old attacks conductor with knife on BEST bus, arrested
Thane businessman cheated of Rs 1.27 cr; FIR registered
Bhiwandi Nizampur municipal clerk held for bribery in Thane district
Discharge is a stage that comes after a chargesheet has been filed in a case, but before charges are framed by the court concerned against an accused. Under this legal remedy, an accused is entitled to be discharged from a case if evidence provided to the court is not sufficient to prove the offence.
In the discharge plea filed through advocate Rizwan Merchant, the politicians, currently out on bail, claimed the Mumbai police's chargesheet against them has been "doctored and engineered" merely to malign and harm their reputation so that they can succumb to pressure tactics and political agendas.
The police had arrested the Ranas in April 2022 following their announcement to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Thackeray's private residence 'Matoshree' in suburban Bandra, a move which angered workers of the undivided Shiv Sena and led to tension in the area.
The couple had later dropped the plan, citing a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mumbai.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
