Javed Akhtar files criminal defamation complaint against Kangana Ranaut

Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar has filed a criminal complaint against actor Kangana Ranaut for making allegedly defamatory statements against him in a Republic TV interview aired last July..In a criminal complaint filed before the Metropolitan Magistrate at Andheri, Mumbai, Akhtar has requested the court to take cognizance of Ranaut's statements and to try her for the offence of criminal defamation. .Akhtar’s plea has arisen from an interview given by Ranaut to the Republic TV channel, supposedly in context of the suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.. During the interview dubbed “Kangana Ranaut With Arnab Goswami On Nation Wants To Know”, Ranaut is stated to have commented that Akhtar was part of a "suicide gang" and that “he can get away with pretty much anything in Mumbai.”.Akhtar claims that Ranaut made false statements and fabricated an incident allegedly to injure his reputation..“Each and every allegation and imputation made in the said interview against the Complainant is false, defamatory, malicious, and has been made with reckless disregard to the truth,” the complaint states..Akhtar submits that Ranaut has needlessly dragged his name in an unconnected sensitive matter, falsely accused him of being a part of the “suicide gang” and called him a “vulture.”.He substantiates his contention that Ranaut profited from the said interview by placing on record the large number of views which the interview received on YouTube..He adds that other news agencies like Times of India, BusinessUpturn, ABP Live, Jagran, etc. have covered the interview and that this has only increased the viewership..The viewers have in turn discussed this over their social media handles which has caused irreparable damage, Akhtar has submitted. .He adds that Ranaut has made these comments as "part of a premeditated, wilful and insidious campaign motivated by her commercial and personal motives of gaining publicity.".Akhtar has therefore sought the intervention of the court to try the alleged offences committed by Ranaut. In this regard, he has cited offences under Section 499 (defamation) and punishable under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code.