Updated: November 24, 2020 6:46:20 pm
Actress Kangana Ranaut with her sister Rangoli Chandel (Instagram / @ rangoli_r_chandel)
In a relief to actor Kangana Ranaut and his sister Rangoli Chandel, on Tuesday the Bombay High Court granted them provisional protection against any coercive action, including arrest, by Mumbai police in an FIR registered against them on alleged grounds. hate messages and statements on social networks and electronic media.
The HC also recorded and accepted a statement made by the sisters’ lawyer that they will respond to the summons and appear before the investigating officer of the Bandra police station on January 8 between 12 and 2 in the afternoon and will record their statements. The HC also indicated that the investigation of the case will continue.
A division bench of Judges SS Shinde and MS Karnik was listening to a guilty plea from Ranaut and his sister presented through lawyer Rizwan Siddiquee, challenging the Bandra magistrate’s order to the Mumbai police to take notice of the complaint against the sisters and the summons issued to appear before the police. . The statement also sought to annul the “absolutely vague and unfounded” FIR filed against them.
Last month, the Bandra Metropolitan Magistrates Court ordered the police to investigate a complaint made by Munawwar Ali Sayyed, Bollywood casting director and fitness trainer, which concerned the tweets and other statements by Ranaut and Chandel.
On Tuesday, Siddiquee asked the court for interim protection that the Mumbai police will not take any enforcement action, including arresting the sisters, until new warrants are issued, which the court accepted. Siddiquee, after receiving instructions from the sisters, made a statement that the duo will appear before the Bandra police station on January 8, 2021, which the court accepted.
The court, while examining the complaint orally, observed: “It has become routine for IPC 124-A (sedition) to be added to the complaint. For what? Are we treating the citizens of the country this way? We understand other sections are being added, but why 124-A? … what if someone is not on the government line? “
The court also asked the attorney for the state government: “Why are police officers invoking IPC Section 124-A? Hold workshops for police officers. Not in this particular case, but in any case. “
Additionally, the court also recorded a statement from Ranaut’s attorney that the sisters will refrain from saying anything regarding the FIR issue until further orders.
Judge Shinde observed: “Sure, there is freedom of expression, but that freedom is also for other citizens. No one can claim: “I have this absolute right.” Every citizen has fundamental rights. These rights are subject to reasonable restrictions. While enjoying them, the rights of other people to remain silent and lead a peaceful life should not be violated. All citizens must take care of this. “
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