'Unwell To Attend Court But She Attends Other Events', Alleges Javed Akhtar Seeking Non-Bailable Warrant Against Kangana Ranaut In Defamation Case

Akhtar submitted her Instagram posts to claim that while Ranaut repeatedly failed to attend court but was present for other events.

On Monday, Metropolitan Magistrate RR Khan took Akhtar's fresh application on record and sought Ranaut's response.

The court also allowed exemption applications filed by Ranaut and Akhtar. The matter was then adjourned to January 4, 2022.

In a private complaint filed last November, Akhtar has accused Ranaut of damaging his "immaculate reputation" by dragging his name in actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death in her interview with Republic TV Anchor Arnab Goswami on July 19, 2020.

Earlier, Rananut's application to transfer the case out of the Andheri court was rejected. Kangana claimed that she had lost faith in the court due to the insistence on her presence. The court observed that merely because the judge proceeded with a case by following the law, didn't mean he was biased.

On Monday, Advocate Jay Bharadwaj for Akhtar referred to the exemption application filed by Ranaut. She had sought exemption citing her ill health. And to challenge the rejection of her transfer plea Bharadwaj placed excerpts of Ranaut's Instagram story from when she claimed to be "critically ill". He added that Ranaut is still to challenge the rejection of her plea to transfer the case.

Bharadwaj placed all the dates where Kangana was granted exemptions, on record.

He reiterated that the court issued process against her on February 1, 2020, still there was no progress. "6 Exemption. She is misleading the court that she is unwell. Misleading that she intends to file anything. Sanctity of institution compromised."

He alleged that there was a deliberate attempt to delay the proceedings. He pointed out that Ranaut did not place any medical certificate on record either.

"This clearly shows that she lies only to gain time and not appear. No one can take the judiciary for granted. Kindly consider my application."

Advocate Ibrahim Shaikh for Ranaut said that just because she seems to have uploaded a picture at a certain time, doesn't mean it was taken the same day.

He said that multiple FIRs were registered against her for exercising her right to freedom of speech. There was a valid apprehension that she would be arrested. He added that the proceedings could continue even in Kangana's absence.

However, Bharadwaj responded saying, "Is it a question of ego that she doesn't want to appear before the court. Are they beyond law? Let them make a statement that they are beyond law. She appeared in court only to say she has lost faith. …Your lordship has given more liberty than to anybody."

The court then asked Ranaut's advocate to give her response to the NBW in writing and adjourned the case to January.