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Hanuman Chalisa Row: Relief for Ranas as court orders release on bail

They have been asked not to address the press on any subjects related to the Hanuman Chalisa recital case
Last Updated 04 May 2022, 11:21 IST

A Sessions Court on Wednesday granted bail to Amravati MP Navneet Kaur Rana and her husband and three-time Badnera MLA Ravi Rana in a sedition case.

The Mumbai police had arrested the couple on April 23 following their statement that they would recite 'Hanuman Chalisa' outside Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's private residence, 'Matoshree' in Bandra.

Special Judge Rahul Rokde granted bail to three-time Independent MLA from Badnera Ravi Rana and Amravati MP Navneet Kaur Rana on furnishing Rs 50,000 each and a surety.

While Ravi Rana is lodged in the prison at Taloja, Navneet Kaur Rana is lodged in the women’s jail in Byculla.

Meanwhile, Navneet Kaur Rana was taken to the Sir JJ Hospital at Byculla for treatment of spondylitis.

The couple was arrested for planning to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Matoshree, the private residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Though they decided to back out on the grounds that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit Mumbai the next day, they were arrested on April 23.

The next day, the Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court at Bandra ordered them to be in judicial custody for 14 days. They filed a bail plea, but later withdrew it and moved the Mumbai Sessions Court.

Ordering a series of conditions, Judge Rokde has asked the couple to make themselves available for investigation as and when required.

They have been asked not to address the press on any subjects related to the Hanuman Chalisa recital case.

“The Rana couple has been granted bail subject to strict conditions by the court,” Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat said.

In their bail application, the couple had submitted that their plan to chant Hanuman Chalisa was to enlist popular support, and not with the intention to incite violence.

The Ranas were initially booked under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and section 135 of the Mumbai Police Act for violation of prohibitory orders.

Thereafter, they were also booked under section 353 of IPC for alleged assault of a public servant obstructing public servant from discharging their official duties and subsequently section 124A (sedition) was added.

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(Published 04 May 2022, 06:05 IST)

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