Metropolitan Magistrate RR Khan at Andheri today directed the Mumbai police to conduct an investigation into the criminal defamation suit filed by lyricist Javed Akhtar against actress Kangana Ranaut. Akhtar had filed a defamation case against Ranaut for making certain statements against him on national television. The Metropolitan Magistrate has directed the police to submit their report by January 16 next year.
Advocate Niranjan Mundargi appearing for Javed Akhtar said that his client’s name was unnecessarily dragged into an unconnected sensitive matter while her interview was about the death of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Mundargi said that Ranaut had allegedly said that Akhtar was part of a “Bollywood suicide gang” who could “get away with anything”. Referring to the witness that was mentioned by Ranaut in her conversation about Akhtar, Advocate Mundargi requested the court to invoke section 202 of the Criminal Procedure Code and either summon the witness to court for recording statement or direct the police to conduct an investigation in the matter.
Considering that Ranaut was not currently within the jurisdiction of the court, the court directed the police to submit the investigation report to the court.
Ranaut’s statement against Javed Akhtar
In an interview given to Republic TV earlier this year, Kangana Ranaut had said that the likes of Javed Akhtar who pretend to be atheists, in reality, keep an eye on people within the industry to check whether they are pro-Islam or not. She had alleged that these people filter Islam-friendly people in the industry and promote them.
In another interview with Republic TV, Ranaut had alleged that after her controversy with actor Hrithik Roshan, Akhtar had called her to his house and asked her to apologise to Roshan warning her that if she did not do so she would have to commit suicide.
Akhtar had filed a defamation case against Ranaut under sections 409 and 500 of the IPC. He had said that Ranaut’s interview was viewed by lakhs of people on Republic TV channel as well as YouTube. He said that the interview was covered by several media channels including Times Now and ABP News.
