Bombay HC dismisses Kangana Ranaut’s plea against Javed Akhtar’s defamation case

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Friday dismissed a petition by actor Kangana Ranaut that sought a stay on proceedings related to a defamation complaint lodged by lyricist Javed Akhtar against her.
Justice Prakash D Naik rejected her plea, ruling that Kangana Ranaut’s complaint against Javed Akhtar was not a cross-complaint but filed much later. Akhtar’s complaint was filed first, setting the precedent for the legal process.
“The trial in the complaint by Akhtar had already commenced. Ranaut preferred application at 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,” the court said.
The defamation case filed by the lyricist against Ranaut is being heard by a magistrate in Andheri. Ranaut’s complaint against Akhtar has been stayed by the sessions court.
Javed Akhtar filed the defamation complaint in November 2020, citing remarks made by Kangana Ranaut during an interview aired by Republic TV. The notice was served to her in February 2021. She challenged the summons, going right up to the Supreme Court, but it did not lead to the desired outcome.
Kangana Ranaut filed a counter-complaint against Akhtar, accusing him of extortion and invasion of privacy. The magistrate court dropped the extortion charge in July 2023 but summoned Akhtar to face charges of criminal intimidation and harassment.
Javed Akhtar filed a revision plea before the sessions court, resulting in a stay of summons and criminal proceedings.
Subsequently, Ranaut filed the current petition before the high court to seek a stay on the proceedings against her. Lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui, who appeared for her, also sought consolidation of the two cases, citing their common origin in an incident from March 2016.
Akhtar, represented by advocate Jay Bhardwaj, argued that Ranaut’s actions were an attempt to prolong court proceedings. He highlighted the substantial delay of almost 5-and-a-half years in filing the cross-complaint, suggesting it was a strategic move to exert pressure on Akhtar.