The City Civil and Sessions Court on Saturday said it would pass an order on May 2 in the bail plea by independent Member of Parliament (MP) Navneet Kaur Rana, and her husband, Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Ravi Rana, in the Hanuman Chalisa row.
Ms. and Mr. Rana were arrested on April 23 for declaring that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside ‘Matoshree’, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s residence. They withdrew the plan because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit and were sent to judicial custody by a magistrate court for 14 days on April 24.
They have been booked under Sections 124A (sedition) and Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code.
Special Judge R.N. Rokade heard arguments by senior advocate Aabad Ponda appearing for the Ranas, and Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat representing the Mumbai Police.
Mr. Ponda argued how reading the Hanuman Chalisa could be an act of sedition. “People are reading it in London but we are not allowed to read it in Mumbai?” he asked. He added the Ranas did not even go to ‘Matoshree’.
Mr. Gharat opposed their bail and said the Ranas were politically powerful people and would sabotage the probe if released.
Ms. Rana is the Lok Sabha MP from Amravati in eastern Maharashtra and is currently lodged in the Byculla Women’s Jail. Mr. Rana is the MLA from Badnera in Amravati district and is currently lodged in the Arthur Road Jail.
