Hours after a Mumbai Court remanded Ravi Rana to 14-day judicial custody, the Badnera MLA was shifted to the Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai on Sunday (April 24) night.
The independent MLA was first taken to the Arthur Road jail but was shifted to Taloja jail due to ‘overcrowding.’ Meanwhile, his wife Navneet Rana has been taken to Byculla women’s jail.
Hanuman Chalisa row | Due to overcrowding at Arthur Road jail, Badnera MLA Ravi Rana shifted to Taloja Jail in Navi Mumbai, says an official of Arthur Road jail pic.twitter.com/2LEOC30oi8
— ANI (@ANI) April 24, 2022
The Background of the Case
MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana were earlier arrested by Mumbai police for planning to recite Hanuman Chalisa before Matoshree, the family residence of CM Uddhav Thackeray. Though they had later withdrawn their plan, the duo was arrested from their home. Charges of sedition were also pressed against them.
They were produced before Bandra Court on Sunday (April 24) and sentenced to 14 days in judicial custody. Both of them were booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups), 353 (criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), and Section 135 of the Mumbai Police Act (violation of prohibitory orders).
Public prosecutor Pradip Gharat said that IPC Section 124-A (sedition) is being attracted in this case as the Rana duo allegedly challenged the government machinery and made remarks against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Advocate Rizwan Merchant who submitted a bail application on behalf of Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana said that all the charges against the couple are baseless. Merchant alleged that public prosecutor Gharat has framed sedition charges against the Ranas on instructions from the police department.
“Prosecutor Gharat was not able to show even a single word that was uttered allegedly by the Rana couple that shows disaffection towards the state government. The only content of the remand application was that they had prepared to come here for the purpose of chanting Hanuman Chalisa.” Advocate Rizwan, who appeared on behalf of the Ranas stated.
