Mumbai court issues bailable warrant against Kangana Ranaut in Javed Akhtar defamation case

A Mumbai metropolitan magistrate's court has issued a bailable warrant against Kangana Ranaut after she failed to appear in the courtroom despite the issuance of summons on 1 February in connection with a defamation suit filed by lyricist-writer Javed Akhtar.

The court noted that Ranaut was well aware of the summons issued in her name, with Akhtar's lawyer, Vrinda Grover, pointing out Ranaut's tweet on the day of the summons. 

The actress has till 22 March to answer the summons and apply for bail. 

Akhtar had filed a defamation suit against Ranaut in November 2020 following the actress's comments on national television regarding the lyricist's alleged connection with the late Sushant Singh Rajput's demise. The veteran lyricist had alleged that the actress had spoken without having any personal knowledge about the case. 

Noting the actress's absence in court, the metropolitan magistrate observed that while Ranaut has the freedom to challenge the summons, it does not absolve her of being present during the suit. 

Akhtar had been called in by the Mumbai police in January 2021 to submit his statement against Ranaut, following which the police submitted an inquiry in the last week of that month to the court. 

Ranaut recently withdrew a case against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) regarding alleged illegal alterations at her residence in Mumbai. She has also been pulled up by a Mumbai Metropolitan Court regarding her allegedly communal tweets. 

The actress will next be seen in the action-thriller Dhaakad which will be released in theatres on 1 October. She is also starring in the Jayalalithaa biopic, Thalaivi, which will hit the screens on 23 April.