Court rejects Kangana Ranaut's plea to transfer defamation case filed by Javed Akhtar

A metropolitan magistrate’s court on Thursday rejected actress Kangana Ranaut's plea to transfer an ongoing defamation case filed by lyricist Javed Akhtar.

The actress had filed the petition before the chief metropolitan magistrate last month, alleging bias on the part of the trial judge, RR Khan, stating that she had "lost faith" in the magistrate’s court, which is hearing the case.

According to LiveLaw.in, Ranaut's advocate Rizwan Siddique argued that judge RR Khan was constantly directing Ranaut to remain present in court to record her 'plea'. He claimed this was a simple case of defamation, which is non-cognizable, bailable and compoundable, but the magistrate was acting in a prejudiced manner by summoning Ranaut without giving reasons.

Akhtar, through his lawyer Jay Bharadwaj, had opposed Ranaut’s plea, stating that while the Andheri court had initiated the process against her in February, observing that a prima facie case of defamation was made out, her “wilful absence” had delayed the case and “caused further harassment” to the lyricist.

After hearing arguments from both sides, additional chief metropolitan magistrate S.T. Dande rejected Ranaut’s petition.

Akhtar had filed the defamation suit last year against Ranaut, claiming that she mentioned him in connection with actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death in a television interview.

The actress later moved a counter-complaint in the Andheri court against Akhtar for alleged "extortion and criminal intimidation".