Mumbai police opposes bail pleas of Navneet and Ravi Rana

The police in its affidavit said that the Ranas’ interviews with the media between April 20 and April 23 crossed limits of fair criticism permitted by law in a democratic country

Mumbai police on Friday opposed bail plea of independent Member of Parliament Navneet Kaur Rana and Member of Legislative Assembly Ravi Rana in the Hanuman Chalisa row.

The police in its affidavit filed through public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat before the city Civil and Sessions court said that the Ranas’ interviews with the media between April 20 and April 23 crossed limits of fair criticism permitted by law in a democratic country and are within Section 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code.

The matter will be heard on April 30.

The affidavit read, “How innocent these pleadings may look like, the respondent (Mumbai police) says that these submissions are most hypocritical since the plan to read “Hanuman Chalisa” at the private residence of the Hon’ble Chief Minister at Matoshree bungalow is a big plot to create a challenge to the law and order situation and to the maintenance of law and order by the government established by the rule of law to such an extent that the collapse of law and order can be pleaded and the recommendation can be made for dissolution of the present government by the Governor of Maharashtra."

The Rana couple was arrested on April 23 for declaring that they will recite Hanuman chalisa outside the residence of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. They withdrew the plan because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit and were sent to judicial custody by Magistrate court for 14 days on April 24.

Ms. Rana is the Lok Sabha MP from Amravati in eastern Maharashtra and is currently lodged in Byculla women's jail. Mr Rana is the MLA from Badnera in Amravati district in Arthur Road Jail.