Sufficient grounds to proceed against Javed Akhtar for offence of criminal intimidation: Court on Kangana Ranaut plaint

On July 24, the metropolitan magistrate’s court had issued summons to lyricist Javed Akhtar to appear before it next month.

javed akhtar, kangana ranaut, indian express

Lyricist Javed Akhtar (left), and actor Kangana Ranaut (right). (Express Archives)

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In its detailed order summoning lyricist Javed Akhtar on a complaint filed by actor Kangana Ranaut, a magistrate court said that there were sufficient grounds to proceed against him on charges including criminal intimidation. However, no case is made on charges of extortion, the court said

On July 24, the metropolitan magistrate’s court had issued summons to Akhtar to appear before it next month. The court in its detailed order made available on Wednesday has said that on the basis of complaint, verification of the complaint filed by Akhtar and statement of Ranaut’s sister Rangoli Chandel, it has come to a conclusion that there are sufficient grounds to proceed against Akhtar for offence under section 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code.

“…the complainant (Ranaut) even though levelled charges for offences punishable under section 383, 384 and 387 of IPC for committing extortion and putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt in order to commit extortion, it appears that, no case is made out against the accused for the aforesaid offences…” the court said.

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Also Read | Mumbai court summons lyricist Javed Akhtar on Kangana Ranaut’s ‘intimidation’ complaint

In her complaint filed through her lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui, Ranaut had said that in 2016, when she was involved in a personal dispute with a co-actor, Akhtar had called her and her sister to his house in Juhu in March. The complaint said that while Akhtar had nothing to do with the dispute, he had ‘with malafide intention and ulterior motive’ called them and ‘criminally intimidated and threatened’ them to tender a written apology to the co-actor to favour him. The complaint also said that Akhtar made unwarranted and uncalled for statements on her moral character and also alleged extortion charges.

The court had verified the complainant and also recorded the statement of Chandel, based on which Akhtar was summoned.

Ranaut’s complaint was filed after Akhtar filed a complaint against her in 2021 alleging that she had defamed him in a television interview in 2020. The proceedings in the case are also ongoing against Ranaut.

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