Javed Akhtar seeks non-bailable warrant against Kangana in defamation case

Celebrated lyricist Javed Akhtar has filed an application seeking a non-bailable warrant against actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut for allegedly not appearing in court for the hearing of a defamation case against her.

The case pertains to a defamation plea filed by Akhtar against Ranaut over statements made by her against him in a televised interview in 2020.

Akhtar’s lawyer Jay Bharadwaj reportedly moved a plea in this regard after Ranaut failed to appear before the court on Saturday (July 20).

In the application, Bharadwaj said that Ranaut’s plea seeking permanent exemption from court appearance has been rejected and upheld both by the Sessions Court and the Bombay High Court.

‘Kangana absent despite court orders’

Bharadwaj said despite the orders, Ranaut has continued being truant.

“Despite the application of the accused (Ranaut) being rejected, she has on various dates not appeared before this court and filed exemptions and a bailable warrant was also issued against her on March 1, 2021,” India Today quoted him as saying.

Bharadwaj said that Ranaut has “time and again tried to delay the court proceedings inadvertently, and there was no other way except issuing a NBW (non-bailable warrant) to secure the presence of the accused.”

While the court has ordered the actor to appear, her lawyer in an undertaking said that she would appear on the next day of hearing on September 9, 2024.