Javed Akhtar defamation case: setback for Kangana Ranaut, HC dismisses her plea

The Bombay High Court on Thursday dismissed a plea filed by actor Kangana Ranaut who had sought quashing of criminal defamation proceedings initiated by a Magistrate Court against her following a complaint by lyricist Javed Akhtar in 2020.

In his complaint, Akhtar had alleged that Ranaut had made defamatory statements on national and international television, “in what appears to be a clear campaign to malign and tarnish him in the eyes of the general public”.

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After the Magistrate Court in Andheri began proceedings against Ranaut in February and issued a bailable warrant in March, the actor appeared before the court and applied for bail, which was granted to her.

Ranaut’s petition before the High Court, which was filed in July this year, challenged the entire proceedings initiated by the magistrate.

It stated that the magistrate should have determined the veracity of the complaint instead of passing the order.

However, Akhtar’s lawyer opposed the plea and said in order to conduct an impartial inquiry, all people involved were summoned by him but Kangana Ranaut decided not to attend the proceedings.