Kangana Ranaut moves Bombay High Court for renewal of passport after Passport Authority objects based on sedition FIR

Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has moved the Bombay High Court seeking renewal of her passport on the ground that the Passport Authority of India is raising objections to the same due to the First Information Report registered against her by the Bandra police for hateful tweets and sedition.

Ranaut has claimed in her application that since she is an actress, she is required to travel to different parts of the country and even to international locations for professions commitments.

She submitted that she has to shoot for a film in which she has been cast as the lead actress and has to travel to Budapest from June 15 to August 2021.

Ranaut submitted that her passport would be expiring in September 2021.

She had applied for renewal of passport but the Passport Authority of India raised objections to the same based on the FIR registered against her, she submitted in her plea before the High Court.

She, therefore, sought appropriate directions from the High Court for renewal of passport.

Ranaut submitted that there were huge monetary investments made by the production houses in booking such shooting locations, wherein she needs to participate as an actress hence it was essential that her passport be renewed.

She also sought for a confirmation that the magistrate's order and the FIR under challenge would not compromise Ranaut's right to get passport issued in her name.

The application will be heard tomorrow before Bench of Justices PB Varale and SP Tavade.

The application was filed in the plea challenging an order of the Metropolitan Magistrate at Bandra directing the Bandra police to initiate investigation into a complaint filed by one Munnawarali Sayyed filed over allegedly hateful tweets by Ranaut.

After the order, the Bandra police had registered an FIR against the sisters for offences punishable under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different religious groups), 295A (maliciously outraging religious feelings), 124A (sedition) read with 34 (conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code.

Ranaut had sought quashing of the FIR registered by the police and setting aside of the Magistrate order.

Ranaut and her sister had been granted protection from any coercive action in terms of the summons issued by the Mumbai Police.

The Court had also called for the record and proceedings from the Metropolitan Magistrate Court at Bandra pertaining to the complaint filed against the sisters.