Hanuman Chalisa Row: Mumbai court reserves order on bail applications of MP Navneet Rana, husband for Monday
Apr 30, 2022
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 30 : Mumbai Sessions court on Saturday heard bail applications of MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana.
However, the court has decided to deliver its verdict on Monday, May 2, 2022.
Advocate Rizwan Merchant and Abad Ponda appeared for the Rana couple and Senior Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat argued for Khat Police.
Meanwhile, the Special Public Prosecutor told ANI, "If someone says that chanting Hanuman Chalisa is their right, it is. But we have to see if the act is legal, permissions and consent are taken by the person at whose residence chanting will be done... the ultimate aim was to create a situation where this government collapses."
"This couple has been booked in several cases. We have mentioned these criminal antecedents in our reply as well. MLA Ravi Rana has been booked in 17 cases earlier and MP Navneet Rana in 6 cases. An attempt to murder charge is on Ravi Rana," he added.
Earlier on April 24, the couple was sent to judicial custody for 14-days by the Holiday and Sunday court of Metropolitan Magistrate, Bandra.
The Mumbai police asked them to file their statement on the bail plea on April 27.
The couple was booked under the sedition charges on April 23. Mumbai police took them to Khar Police Station.
"A case is registered at Khar Police against MLA Shri Ravi Rana and MP Smt Navneet Kaur Rana U/S 153(A), 34, IPC r/w 37(1) 135 Bombay police act. Both are taken into custody from their house at Khar. Further investigation is being done by Khar Police Station," an official press release had stated.
The ruling Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state alleged that the Rana couple acted at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The row gained momentum after the Shiv Sena workers held protests at the residence of the Rana couple after the Amravati MP Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi Rana announced their plan to chant "Hanuman Chalisa" outside Matoshree, the private residence of Chief Minster Uddhav Thackeray.
