Bombay High Court Rejects Kangana Ranaut's Plea For Stay On Defamation Trial Filed By Javed Akhtar

The Bombay High Court on Friday rejected a petition filed by actor Kangana Ranaut seeking a stay on the trial against her based on a complaint filed by lyricist Javed Akhtar alleging defamation.

On Friday, Justice PD Naik rejected her plea observing that the trial in Akhtar’s case has already commenced and relief sought by Ranaut at this stage cannot be granted.

Naik's observations

“Ranaut preferred application at a belated stage. Akhtar’s complaint is first in point of time and process has been issued. Considering the factual matrix, no relief can be granted,” Justice Naik observed.

Ranaut had given an interview to a news channel and made remarks relating to a meeting between her and Akhtar in 2016. Taking exception to these remarks, Akhtar filed a defamation complaint against her.

Meanwhile, Ranaut had also filed a cross-complaint against Akhtar raising allegations of criminal conspiracy, extortion and outraging modesty by invading her privacy.

Kangana's petition

Kangana then filed a petition in the high court seeking that both the cases be tried together since both the cases, her complaint and Akhtar's complaint, stem from the same incident.

Following a revision complaint filed by Akhtar, a sessions court stayed the order and the criminal proceedings arising from Ranaut's complaint.

Ranaut’s advocate Rizwan Siddiqui submitted that while the proceedings arising from her complaint have been stayed, the proceedings arising from Akhtar's complaint were continuing. He argued that the same was unjust and against the established principles of natural justice.

Akhtar’s advocate, Jay Bharadwaj, opposed the petition submitting that the actor had filed the plea only to delay proceedings in the defamation case. He also argued that there was no basis for Ranaut to invoke the writ jurisdiction of the High Court in this matter, and that her prayers were vague and untenable.