Mumbai: Former BJP MP Navneet Rana on Wednesday remained absent before the court to hear the Hanuman Chalisa recitation case outside the then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's Matoshree residence. Her lawyer told the court that she could not attend the hearing in person as she was ill.
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The case dates back to 2022. Former MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana are co-accused in the case. The Ranas were booked under Section 353 of the Indian Penal Code (assault or forcible restraining a public servant from performing his duty). The case is being heard before a special judge.
The couple had publicly threatened to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside the residence of the then Chief Minister and Uddhav Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in Bandra. The police had gone to Ranas' Khar residence to arrest them after a case was registered against the couple. Rana is alleged to have resisted the police by obstructing their duties at that time. In December 2023, the high court dismissed the Ranas' plea seeking quashing of the case. While dismissing the petition, the court had said that there was sufficient prima facie evidence against the accused as per the statements of the witnesses.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Navneet Rana lost from Amravati in the recent Lok Sabha elections. She was defeated by Balwant Wankhede of the Congress.
The case against the Ranas did not proceed as Navneet Rana appeared to be reluctant to appear before the court. Special Judge R.K. Rokde, who is hearing cases against MLA Ravi Rana and the former MP had directed Rana to appear before it for the hearing. However, only MLA Ravi Rana was present. The court adjourned the hearing till July 2 after Navneet Rana's lawyer Shabir Shora said she could not attend the hearing as she was not keeping well.