A magistrate court in Mumbai dropped extortion charges against lyricist Javed Akhtar in a criminal complaint filed by actress Kangana Ranaut..However, Metropolitan Magistrate RM Shaikh at Andheri issued process against Akhtar for offences under Sections 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (insulting modesty of woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and asked him to appear before the court on August 5..Ranaut claimed in her complaint that Akhtar had invited her to his place in 2020 in order to resolve an ongoing dispute with actor Hrithik Roshan. During the meeting, Ranaut alleged that when she refused to apologise to Roshan, Akhtar threatened and insulted her, thus committing the offence of extortion.She filed a complaint against Akhtar alleging criminal conspiracy, extortion and insulting her modesty by invading her privacy..After recording Ranaut's statement on July 6, the court took cognizance of the complaint on July 24. In the order, the magistrate observed that though the allegations of extortion had been raised, no case was made out against Akhtar for extortion.“It appears that the complainant even though levelled charges for offence for committing extortion, and putting a person in fear of death or of grievous hurt in order to commit extortion, it appears that, no case is made out against the accused for the offences as asking a person to give written apology will not come under the definition of valuable security because no legal right is created, extended, transferred, restricted, extinguished or released. A written apology cannot be termed as valuable security,” the magistrate said..Ranaut's complaint came after Akhtar filed a criminal defamation complaint against her claiming that her statements aired on Republic TV amounted to the offence of criminal defamation under Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code.Ranaut's complaint filed through advocate Rizwan Siddiquee reasoned that Akhtar forced an apology out of her only to lower her public image and give a favourable public verdict in support of Roshan.She sought issuance of process against Akhtar under Sections 383, 384, 387 (extortion), 503, 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (insulting modesty of woman) of IPC..The magistrate took cognizance of the complaint against Akhtar only under Sections 506 and 509. Akhtar’s lawyer Advocate Jay K Bharadwaj told Bar & Bench that he will be filing a revision application against the summoning order.
A magistrate court in Mumbai dropped extortion charges against lyricist Javed Akhtar in a criminal complaint filed by actress Kangana Ranaut..However, Metropolitan Magistrate RM Shaikh at Andheri issued process against Akhtar for offences under Sections 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (insulting modesty of woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and asked him to appear before the court on August 5..Ranaut claimed in her complaint that Akhtar had invited her to his place in 2020 in order to resolve an ongoing dispute with actor Hrithik Roshan. During the meeting, Ranaut alleged that when she refused to apologise to Roshan, Akhtar threatened and insulted her, thus committing the offence of extortion.She filed a complaint against Akhtar alleging criminal conspiracy, extortion and insulting her modesty by invading her privacy..After recording Ranaut's statement on July 6, the court took cognizance of the complaint on July 24. In the order, the magistrate observed that though the allegations of extortion had been raised, no case was made out against Akhtar for extortion.“It appears that the complainant even though levelled charges for offence for committing extortion, and putting a person in fear of death or of grievous hurt in order to commit extortion, it appears that, no case is made out against the accused for the offences as asking a person to give written apology will not come under the definition of valuable security because no legal right is created, extended, transferred, restricted, extinguished or released. A written apology cannot be termed as valuable security,” the magistrate said..Ranaut's complaint came after Akhtar filed a criminal defamation complaint against her claiming that her statements aired on Republic TV amounted to the offence of criminal defamation under Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code.Ranaut's complaint filed through advocate Rizwan Siddiquee reasoned that Akhtar forced an apology out of her only to lower her public image and give a favourable public verdict in support of Roshan.She sought issuance of process against Akhtar under Sections 383, 384, 387 (extortion), 503, 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (insulting modesty of woman) of IPC..The magistrate took cognizance of the complaint against Akhtar only under Sections 506 and 509. Akhtar’s lawyer Advocate Jay K Bharadwaj told Bar & Bench that he will be filing a revision application against the summoning order.
