Kangana Ranaut & Sister Move Bombay HC To Quash Mumbai Police FIR For Alleged Communal Tweets

Actor Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel have moved Bombay High Court seeking quashing of FIR against them at Bandra police station and the order passed by Bandra Magistrate Court ordering registration of FIR taking cognizance under Section 156(3) of CrPC for allegedly trying to create a communal divide through their social media.In October, Metropolitan Magistrate Jaydeo Ghule ordered an FIR to be registered after finding a prima facie case against the actor and her sister. The complaint was filed by one Munawar Ali Sayyed, a casting director in the Hindi Film Industry who sought FIR to be registered for offences punishable under Sections 153 A, 295 A, 124 A r/w 34 of IPC.The plea was filed before the High Court through Advocate Rizwan Siddique. The complainant alleged that by her tweets Kangana is creating divisions between Hindu Artists and Muslim Artists. "I say that the accused no.1 is maliciously bringing religion in almost all her tweets", he alleged. Thereafter, the complaint cited instances wherein Kangana and Rangoli's tweets were allegedly communal. Her tweets on lynching of Hindu Sadhus at Palghar, calling the BMC "Babur Sena" after her office was demolished, claiming that she is the first person to make a movie on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Rani Laxmi bai of Jhansi in a "Islam dominated industry", blaming Jamaatis for spreading Corona virus etc are cited by the complainant alleging that Kanagana tried to create hatred and communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims deliberately.After going through the complaint and the tweets posted by the accused, Magistrate Dhule observed-"Perused the complaint, heard the advocate of the complainant along with the documents filed on record. On prima facie perusal of complaint and submission I have found cognizable offence has been committed by the accused. Total allegations are based upon comment on electronic media that is twitter and interviews. The accused used social media like twitter and thorough investigation is necessary by the expert. The all offences alleged and levelled against the accused are cognizable. Search and seizure is necessary in this case, in such circumstances I have found it to be proper to pass order under Section 156(3) of CrPC."A division bench of Justice SS Shinde and Justice MS Karnik is likely to hear the matter tomorrow. On October 29, Magistrate Court at Andheri ordered inquiry against actor Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel for allegedly posting derogatory tweets against the Muslim community. Court ordered an inquiry under Section 202 of CrPC and called for a police report on the allegations against the siblings. Apart from this, a Court in Karnataka ordered an FIR to be registered against the actor for her tweets on protests by farmers against the farm bill

Kangana Ranaut & Sister Move Bombay HC To Quash Mumbai Police FIR For Alleged Communal Tweets

Nitish Kashyap

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