Court rejects Kangana Ranaut’s plea seeking permanent exemption from appearance in Javed Akhtar case

A Mumbai court has rejected Kangana Ranaut’s plea seeking permanent exemption from appearance in Javed Akhtar's defamation case against her.

The 10th Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Andheri, Mumbai, has rejected the application filed by actress Kangana Ranaut through which she was seeking permanent exemption from appearing before the court in lyricist Javed Akhtar's defamation case.

During the hearing on Tuesday (March 22), Akhtar, who is usually present at most of the hearings, was not around. However, his advocate Jay Bharadwaj was present, while Rizwan Siddiquee representing Ranaut filed his say. Bharadwaj had earlier filed an application for issuance of a warrant against Ranaut who has hardly been present during the proceedings. Siddiquee in his statement said that Akhtar is in the habit of recklessly making such applications, despite full knowledge that "it is not Ranaut who has been delaying the proceedings of this court in any manner whatsoever, but has instead specifically requested to proceed in the matter through her advocate." Siddiquee pointed to the court that more than a year has gone by and the court has not decided on her application for permanent exemption.

Siddiquee also filed application requesting for exemption of the accused and the adjournment of the hearing. The court granted both exemption as well as adjournment for the day.

The court then proceeded to reject the application filed by Ranaut for permanent exemption. Siddiquee was informed about it and the court assured the accused that she will be exempted on specific situations if needed.

Bharadwaj had filed a reply to this application for permanent exemption and had pointed out that Ranaut had already been given exemptions from court appearance more than a dozen times. He also pointed out that there were days when Ranaut had been seeking exemption on the grounds of ill-health whereas her Instagram stories/posts clearly demonstrated the contrary.

Bharadwaj also pointed out that Ranaut is required to be personally present before the Court for framing of charges/recording of the plea. In 2020, Ranaut had given an interview to a news channel where she spoke about Akhtar. She referred to a meeting which was attended by Akhtar and her along with her sister Rangoli Chandel. So, Bharadwaj insisted that since Ranaut was a part of that meeting, and accordingly, she can answer a charge. In other words, the same cannot be answered by anyone else except Ranaut, and accordingly, her lawyer cannot record the plea on behalf of her.

The entire issue emanates from 2016 when Akhtar had called Ranaut and her sister, Rangoli Chandel, with the help of a doctor known to both of them, to his house. The doctor was known to actor Hrithik Roshan, Ranaut and Akhtar as well. Around that time, Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan were making headlines for their alleged relationship and hundreds of emails between them. Akhtar said in his statement before the magistrate court, "I tried to advise and pacify her to settle issues with Hrithik. However, she did not listen to me and told me that she would take the issue as per her choice and she would show him. As she was not in a mood to listen to me, I changed the topics and shared pleasantries with her, offered some tea or coffee to her and saw her off till the lift."