Mumbai: Court dismisses Kangana Ranaut's plea seeking transfer of Javed Akhtar's complaint

Javed Akhtar and Kangana Ranaut. File Pic

In a setback to Kangana Ranaut, the Mumbai sessions court has dismissed the plea filed by actress seeking transfer of proceedings in a defamation case filed by lyricist Javed Akhtar from the court at Andheri to any other Magistrate.

According to Bar and Bench, Kangana in her plea had stated that Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM), who dismissed her transfer plea, failed to appreciate that the Andheri Metropolitan Magistrate RR Khan (who is hearing Akhtar's complaint) wanted to intentionally cause her an injury by misusing his power.

The veteran lyricist Akhtar had filed a defamation case against Kangana in November 2020 after she made baseless and defamatory allegations against him in a TV interview.

During the course of hearing of this complaint, Kangana claimed that Andheri Magistrate harmed her image by openly announcing that "if the applicant is not present for hearing on the next date, an arrest warrant will be issued against her".

Andheri Magistrate had also warned the 'Manikarnika' actress that an arrest warrant will be issued against her over repeated non-appearances. And it also clarified that a bailable warrant would be issued against her. The revised plea was filed by Kangana's Advocate Rizwan Siddiquee said that if Magistrate should have issued the warrant by passing a proper order recording and explaining his reasons.

Advocate Jay Bharadwaj, who was representing Akhtar argued that the plea didn't have any merit. And said that Kangana's requests were accommodated despite opposition from counsel. He further said Kangana has been trying to derail the procedural aspects of the Andheri Magistrate.

The Additional Sessions Judge SU Baghele dismissed the revision application after hearing the appeal submission for two days.

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