After their failure to appear before them for questioning on two earlier occasions, the Mumbai police on Wednesday issued third summons to Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel to appear before them on November and 23 and 24 in connection with the investigations into an FIR registered against them for allegedly creating “hatred” and “communal tensions” between Hindus and Muslims.
In fresh summons issued to the two sisters, the Bandra police summoned Kangana to appear before them on November 23, while they asked Rangoli to remain present at the police station for questioning on November 24.
This time around, the Bandra police have also summoned Kangana’s aide Amruta Dutta for questioning in the same case on November 25.
The Bandra police had issued first summons to Kangana and her sister Rangoli on October 26 and 27. However, the two sisters had bought time from the police by saying that they would not be able to respond to the summons as they were busy with their brother’s wedding. Subsequently, the Bandra police issued fresh summons to Kangana and Rangoli to appear before them on November 10 and 11.
Apart from facing the charge creating “hatred” and “communal tensions” between Hindus and Muslims, the two sisters also face the allegation of attempting to trigger disaffection among the people against the Maharashtra government. In addition, Munawwarali Sahil A Sayyed – on whose complaint a case has been registered against Kangana and Rangoli—has also accused the two sisters of indulging in sedition (section 124 A of IPC). Complainant Sayyed’s was recorded by the Bandra police last month.
It may be recalled that on October 17, the Bandra police had registered FIR against Kangana and Rangoli after Metropolitan Magistrate Jaidev Ghule of Bandra 12th court ordered investigations under section 156(3) of CrPC into a complaint filed against Kangana and her sister Rangoli Chandel by Bollywood casting director and fitness trainer Munawwarali alias Sahil A. Sayyed.
Sayyed had among other things alleged that both Kangana and Rangoli had ad tried to create “hatred” and “communal tensions” between Hindus and Muslims and that Kangana had tried to lower the image of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and created disaffection among the people against the Maharashtra government.
“Perused the complaint, heard the advocate of the complainant along with the documents filed on record. On prima facie perusal of complaint and submission I have found a cognizable offence has been committed by the accused,” Magistrate Ghule had noted, while directing the Bandra police to register an FIR against Kangana and her sister Rangoli.
“All allegations are based upon comment on electronic media that is twitter and interviews. The accused used social media like twitter and thorough investigation is necessary by the expert. All offences alleged and levelled against the accused are cognizable. Search and seizure is necessary in this case, in such circumstances I have found it to be proper to pass order under Section 156(3) of CrPC,” the Magistrate had ruled.
Among other things, the section 156(3) of CrPC read with section 190 empowers to Magistrate – upon receiving a complaint of facts and upon information received from any person other than a police officer, or upon his own knowledge that such an offence has been committed any magistrate empowered under 190 can order an investigation to into a complaint.
Apart from trying to create “hatred” and “communal tensions” between Hindus and Muslims, the complainant’s case is that the accused number 1 (Kangana) – through her one of her tweets – had allegedly tried to lower the image of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and the state government agencies but also create disaffection among the common people against the Maharashtra government.
He alleged that Kangana had falsely portrayed a picture that the Maharashtra government was responsible for the demolition of some portions of her bungalow which were demolished by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is an autonomous body.
In his complaint filed before the metropolitan magistrate’s court under 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence; language etc, Sayeed charged that Kangana was “creating” divisions between Hindu and Muslim artists. He also alleged that Kangana was “maliciously bringing religion in almost all her tweets and went onto give examples like lynching of Hindu Sadhus at Palghar, calling the BMC as “Babur Sena” and claiming that she was the first person to make a movie on Chhatrapati Shivaji Mahajan and Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi.
“She has gone to such an extent that she has blamed Jamaatis for spreading corona virus etc, thereby trying to create hatred and communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims. She is well aware that she is a well known actress and has a big fan base so her tweets will be seen and will reach to many people,” Sayyed had told the court in his complaint.
In the case of Kangana’s sister (accused number 2) Rangoli Chandel who is her sister as well as her manager, the complainant had alleged that Rangoli had made an objectionable tweet to spread communal hatred and animosity amongst Hindus and Muslim community through her tweet “ Make the Mullas and secular media stand in line and shoot them down, F---k, the history may call us Naazis who cares”.