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Kangana Ranaut to Face Trial in Defamation Case Following High Court Ruling

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut's petition seeking quashing of summons issued to her by a court in Bathinda in a defamation complaint. Ranaut retweeted a post wrongly identifying farm law protester Mahinder Kaur as Bilkis Bano of Shaheen Bagh fame, which the complainant alleged had dented her reputation and lowered her in the eyes of others. The court specifically noted Ranaut's failure to apologize for the defamatory remarks and the presence of prima facie evidence establishing the ingredients of defamation under Sections 499 and 500 IPC.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed Kangana Ranaut's petition seeking quashing of summons issued to her by a court in Bathinda in a defamation complaint.
  • The case is based on a complaint filed by Mahinder Kaur, a 73-year-old farm law protester, who alleged that Ranaut had defamed her in a retweet by wrongly identifying her as Bilkis Bano of Shaheen Bagh fame.
  • The court held that there are specific allegations against Ranaut that "false and defamatory imputations by her in the retweet have dented the respondent's reputation and lowered her in her own estimation, as also in the eyes of others".
  • The bench specifically noted the absence of any apology from Ranaut and held that she had failed to tender any apology to the complainant after knowing the truth.
  • The court found that the retweet met the criteria for prima facie evidence establishing the ingredients of defamation under Sections 499 and 500 IPC.
  • Ranaut will now stand trial in the defamation case before the Judicial Magistrate in Bathinda.

Statistics:

  • 73 - The age of Mahinder Kaur, the farm law protester wrongly identified in the retweet.
  • 2021 - The year when Mahinder Kaur filed a criminal complaint against Kangana Ranaut under Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
  • 22 February 2022 - The date when the Judicial Magistrate issued a summoning order directing Ranaut to face trial for the alleged offense.
  • Millions - The number of followers that Kangana Ranaut has on Twitter (now X), which saw the retweet reaching a large audience.

Sources:

  • IE Online Media Services Pvt. Ltd.
  • Contify.com (Original publication date not provided)

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