Hanuman Chalisa row: Bombay HC refuses to quash FIR against MP Navneet Rana, husband
Apr 25, 2022
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 25 : The Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed a petition moved by Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana for quashing the FIR registered against them for allegedly assaulting the police officer who came to arrest the couple.
The police took the action against the couple after they threatened to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's private residence in Mumbai.
While reprimanding the petitioners, the court said, "Those persons who are in public life must behave as responsible as it is said to power comes with responsibility."
"The state government is justified in the apprehension that it could create a law and order problem," stated the court.
"Those who are active in public life are expected to act responsibly is not an extra thing but basically an expectation which must be followed," as per the court.
Earlier on Sunday, the MP-MLA couple was arrested in Mumbai. Currently, MLA Ravi Rana is lodged in Taloja Jail and MP Naveneet Rana is lodged in Byculla Jail.
"A case is registered at Khar Police against MLA Shri Ravi Rana and MP Smt Navneet Kaur Rana under sections 153(A), 34, IPC r/w 37(1) 135 Bombay police act," stated an official release by the police.
On Sunday they were sent to judicial custody for 14-days by a Metropolitan Magistrate court in Bandra.
On Saturday, a row started when MP Navneet Rana and her husband stated that the couple plans to chant Hanuman Chalisa outside 'Matoshree' (Maharashtra CM's Mumbai Residence), after which a huge crowd gathered outside the residence of the political couple waving flags with an aim to prevent them from reaching the Chief Minister's residence.
The Ranas withdrew their plan to chant Hanuman Chalisa amid the protests from Shiv Sainiks that culminated in their arrest on the charge of creating enmity between different groups.
