Bombay High Court rejects plea by Kangana Ranaut seeking stay on defamation case by Javed Akhtar

The Bombay High Court on Friday rejected a petition filed by actor Kangana Ranaut seeking a stay on the trial arising from a defamation complaint filed against her by lyricist Javed Akhtar..Akhtar had filed the complaint against Ranaut after taking exception to certain remarks made by her in an interview aired on Republic TV.The remarks made by Ranaut concerned a 2016 meeting between her and Akhtar.Meanwhile, Ranaut also filed a cross-complaint against Akhtar raising allegations of criminal conspiracy, extortion and outraging her modesty by invading her privacy.Ranaut later approached the High Court through advocate Rizwan Siddiquee, claiming that both her complaint and Akhtar's complaint stemmed from the same incident and hence ought to be tried together to avoid conflicting judgments. Therefore, she urged the High Court to stay the defamation proceedings initiated on Akhtar's complaint. .Justice PD Naik pronounced the verdict today and observed that the trial in Akhtar's complaint had also already commenced and reached final stage, while Ranaut preferred this petition at a belated stage. "After resorting to remedies challenging proceedings against Ranaut, the complaint was filed by Ranaut against Akhtar. Thereafter the present application was preferred. After filing the complaint belatedly,Ranaut contended that, both cases are to be tried simultaneously. Considering this factual matrix, no relief as sought in this petition can be granted", the judge ruled. .A sessions court in Mumbai had earlier stayed the order and the criminal proceedings arising from Ranaut's complaint till a revision application by Akhtar was finally heard.Ranaut claimed in her plea that while the proceedings arising from her complaint were so stayed, the proceedings arising from Akhtar's complaint were continuing.She argued that this was unjust and against the established principles of natural justice..Akhtar, meanwhile, opposed the petition through advocate Jay Bharadwaj. Akhtar's counsel argued that Ranaut had filed the petition only to delay proceedings in the defamation case initiated by the lyricist.Bharadwaj also argued that there was no basis for Ranaut to invoke the writ jurisdiction of the High Court in this matter and that her prayers were vague and untenable..[Read order]