Court denies Kangana Ranaut permanent exemption from appearance in defamation case

In a major setback for actress Kangana Ranaut, a local court on Tuesday denied to grant a permanent exemption from appearance in a defamation case filed by lyricist Javed Akhtar. For the unversed, Ranaut has been accused of making defamatory statements against Akhtar during a TV interview in 2020.The Andheri metropolitan magistrate rejected the plea filed by the accused seeking permanent exemption from appearing before the court during the hearing in the case. However, the court, in its order, said that the actress will be exempted on specific situations if needed, by consent of both sides, media reported.

The court allowed the actress exemption from appearing before the court on Tuesday and posted the matter for hearing on April 7. Last week, the sessions court here had rejected Ranaut's application to transfer cases between Akhtar and her to another court. Additional sessions judge Shridhar Bhosale dismissed the pleas. The actress had moved the pleas under Section 408 of Code of Criminal Procedure’s, which empowers the sessions courts to transfer cases and pleas. During a TV interview in 2020, Ranaut had allegedly made defamatory statements against Akhtar. Akhtar moved the court against the actress in November 2020, accusing her of damaging his reputation. In his complaint, Akhtar alleged that the actress had dragged his name during the TV interview while referring to a 'coterie' existing in Bollywood following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Following Akhtar's complaint, Ranaut filed an extortion and criminal intimidation case against Akhtar in the same court in September 2021.