Today, On 10th June, Navneet Rana, connected in the Hanuman Chalisa controversy, failed to appear before the court as required. This case has gathered significant public and media attention, raising the stakes for all involved. Rana’s absence has led to speculation about potential legal repercussions and the future course of the proceedings.
Mumbai: Navneet Rana, a BJP leader, failed to appear before the court on Wednesday, citing health concerns, in a case related to a dispute over reciting the Hanuman Chalisa outside the residence of the then Maharashtra Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray, in 2022.
Her husband, Amravati MLA Ravi Rana, who also an accused in the case, did appear before the court. The couple has been booked under Section 353 of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly resisting and obstructing police personnel who visited their residence in Mumbai’s Khar area to arrest them after they announced plans to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Thackeray’s residence, ‘Matoshree,’ in Bandra.
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In December 2023, the court rejected the couple’s plea for discharge, stating that there was prima facie enough evidence against them based on witness statements, and that a case under Section 353 of the Indian Penal Code made out.
Since January, the matter has been scheduled for multiple hearings to frame charges against the Rana couple. However, the proceedings have not progressed due to the failure of the accused to appear before the court.
At a previous hearing, the special judge for cases involving MPs and MLAs, R.N. Rokade, directed the Rana couple to appear in court on June 12 without fail. However, only Ravi Rana, the Amravati MLA, appeared in court on Wednesday.
Navneet Rana’s lawyer, Shabir Shora, filed an exemption plea, stating that she was unwell and could not attend the court proceedings.
The court allowed Ravi Rana‘s plea and adjourned the matter to July 2. The Rana couple previously filed a revision petition before the Bombay High Court against the rejection of their discharge application by the special court.
In April 2022, the police arrested the Ranas after they announced plans to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside the residence of the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, which led to tensions in the area. The couple later dropped the plan, citing a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mumbai.
Currently, the Ranas are out on bail. It is worth noting that Navneet Rana, the female member of the Rana couple, lost the Amravati Lok Sabha seat in the recently concluded general elections.