Kangana moves HC to quash FIR on sedition other charges

    (Eds: Adds info on Kangana not appearing before cops)
    Mumbai, Nov 23 (PTI) Facing sedition charges, actress
Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel moved the Bombay
High Court on Monday, seeking to quash an FIR filed against
them by the city police for allegedly "trying to create hatred
and communal tension" through their social media posts.
    The FIR, under sedition and other charges, was
registered pursuant to orders passed by the Bandra
magistrate's court directing the Mumbai police to carry out an
inquiry against Ranaut and her sister following a complaint
lodged against them.
    "Kangana and Rangoli have filed a petition in the
Bombay High Court for quashing of the FIR and the magistrate's
order," their advocate Rizwan Siddiquee told PTI.
    He said the petition has also sought the court to stay
the summons issued against the duo asking them to appear
before the police for questioning, and also a direction to the
police to not take any coercive steps against them.
    The Mumbai police last week summoned Ranaut and her
sister for the third time to record their statements on
November 23 and 24, respectively.
    However, the 33-year-old Bollywood actor did not
appear before the police on Monday for the third time.
    The police have filed the FIR against Ranaut and her
sister under IPC sections 153-A (promoting enmity between
different groups on grounds of religion, race), 295-A
(deliberate acts hurting religious sentiments) and 124-A
(sedition), 34 (common intention).
    Magistrate Jaydeo Ghule on October 17 passed the
order directing the police to conduct an inquiry and register
an FIR on a complaint filed before the court by casting
director and fitness trainer Munnawarali Sayyed, seeking
action against Ranaut and her sister for their posts on social
media.
    In his complaint, Sayyed pointed out to the court
several posts published by Ranuat and her sister on their
social media accounts related to actor Sushant Singh Rajput's
death case, lynching of two seers in Maharashtra's Palghar
district and a post comparing Mumbai with Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir (PoK).
    The complaint said an investigation was required to
ascertain the real motive behind such posts that allegedly
create hatred and communal tensions.
    Agreeing with contents of the complaint, the
magistrate, in his order, said, "Prima facie, on perusal of
the complaint and submissions, I found a cognisable offence
has been committed by the accused persons and a thorough
investigation is necessary."
    The police on the same day registered an FIR against
Ranaut and Rangoli and subsequently issued summons on two
occasions, asking the sisters to appear before them for
recording their statements.
    The sisters, however, responded to the summons, saying
they cannot come to Mumbai as they were in Himachal Pradesh,
their native state, for a wedding function at home.
    Following this, a third summons was issued last week
asking Ranuat to appear before the police on November 23 and
Chandel on November 24.
    The Bandra police had first summoned Kangana and her
sister Rangoli on October 26 and 27 and the second time on
November 9 and 10, respectively, but they failed to appear
before them on both occasions, an official said. PTI SP ZA GK
RSY RSY

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)