Hanuman Chalisa Row: HC Refuses to Quash FIR Against MP Navneet Rana, Husband Ravi Rana, Says Plea Holds no Merit

Giving no relief to MLA NavneerRana and her husband, the Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed the writ petition filed by the couple, arrested in connection with the Hanuman Chalisa controversy, seeking quashing of an FIR registered against them.

The plea was dismissed by a bench of Justices PB Varale and SM Modak, who said that it found no merit in the plea. This comes after the couple had approached the HC this morning seeking that the FIR registered against them by the Khar police in the city on the charge of deterring a police officer from discharging her official duties be quashed.

The Khar police registered two FIRs against the couple after they announced that Hanuman Chalisa will be recited outside Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence in Mumbai. On April 23, the police registered the first FIR on the charge of promoting enmity between different religions. It subsequently added the charge of sedition to this FIR. On April 24, the Khar police registered a second FIR against the Ranas under section 353 of the IPC for obstructing a public servant from discharging duty.

The stand-off took place after Ranas announced to reach ‘Matoshree’, and recite Hanuman Chalisa outside chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s family residence. Enraged over their dare, Shiv Sainiks blocked the couple’s Khar residence from Saturday morning and shouted slogans against them throughout the day. Hundreds of Shiv Sena workers pushed aside barricades and entered the premises of Ranas’ building despite heavy police deployment.