Kangana, sister must be prosecuted for sedition, HC told

Actress Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel have attempted to create communal disharmony and also tried to incite disaffection against the Maharashtra government, the Bombay High Court was informed on Monday. The HC has, however, adjourned the hearing of the matter.

A Bench of Justices Sambhaji Shinde and Manish Pitale was hearing a plea filed by both Kangana and Rangoli seeking to quash the FIR they were facing under serious charges of sedition and promoting communal disharmony through their tweets.

The FIR was registered in accordance with the orders of a magistrate, which was seized with a private complaint filed by one Munnawar Sayed, a resident of Bandra.

Aggrieved with the FIR and also the ongoing probe, the duo moved the Bench headed by Justice Shinde seeking to quash the FIRs.

In his affidavit, Munnawar stated that the series of tweets posted by Kangana and Rangoli had the potential of promoting enmity between two religious groups. He highlighted the sisters' tweets on Tablighi Jamaats, for which Rangoli's Twitter handle was suspended in March.

The affidavit further stated that the material on record was sufficient to prosecute Kangana and her sister under charges of sedition. It stated that the sisters have made "deliberate" attempts to invoke disaffection against the state government.

It further pointed out to various tweets, by which the sisters criticised the Maharashtra government over almost everything and every decision.

The complainant accordingly urged the judges to not quash the FIRs since the probe was at a very initial stage and quashing the same would amount to obstruction of Justice administration.

The judges have posted the matter for further hearing till next week.

In his affidavit, Munnawar said the series of tweets posted by the duo had the potential of promoting enmity between two religious groups. They made "deliberate" bids to invoke disaffection against state govt