Read Time: 05 minutes

Synopsis

The Bombay High Court on Thursday reserved its order in the petition filed by Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut seeking a stay on the defamation case filed by lyricist Javed Akhtar against her.

A single-judge bench, Justice PD Naik, while reserving the order, said that it is likely to be pronounced on February 2.

In her petition filed through Advocate Rizwan Siddique, Ranaut claimed that the cross-cases filed by Ranaut arose from the same incident that occurred in March 2016, and thus, they were clubbed together to be heard and tried simultaneously by the same magistrate.

However, the proceedings against Akhtar were later stayed by the Sessions Court, which, according to the plea, goes against the established principles of natural justice and fair trial.

In response to the petition, Javed Akhtar has submitted before the high court that Kangana is attempting to delay the proceedings in the defamation case.

“The present Writ Petition is not maintainable inasmuch as the Petitioner has failed to establish any basis for invoking the Writ jurisdiction. At the same time, the present petition is only filed to delay the proceedings before the Ld. 10th MM, Andheri. This is when the Petitioner has already taken numerous adjournments to delay the matter,” the plea reads.

Akhtar, in his reply, also stated that Ranaut had not challenged the stay granted by the Sessions Court on the summons issued to him by the trial court and that the entire petition was based on assumptions.

“Ranaut is not challenging any judicial order passed by a court but has based the entire writ petition on assumptions and presumptions coupled with an unwarranted optimism of the proceedings pending in courts below," the plea states.

Akhtar filed a defamation case against Ranaut following certain remarks she made about him during an interview with Republic TV.

Pertinently, Ranaut had also filed a cross-complaint against Akhtar, alleging criminal conspiracy, extortion, and invasion of privacy.

However, it was only in July 2023 that the magistrate court dropped extortion charges against Akhtar and summoned him for other charges.

Akhtar subsequently filed an application before the Sessions Court. The Sessions Court stayed criminal proceedings against Akhtar until his revision application before the court was heard.

Nonetheless, the defamation case filed by Akhtar against Ranaut continued, prompting her to approach the high court seeking a stay.

Case title: Kangana Ranaut vs State of Maharashtra & Anr.