Hanuman Chalisa Row: Mumbai court seeks special public prosecutor's reply to bail plea of Rana couple in sedition FIR

Mumbai Sessions Court on Tuesday asked the Special Public Prosecutor to file a reply on April 29 to the bail plea of jailed independent MP Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi Rana in connection with the Hanuman Chalisa recital row.

The court will hear the bail pleas of the Rana couple on April 29.

"The court has a lot of workload, so we have accepted a reply to the bail application on April 29, after which the court will decide on further hearing. It can happen on April 29 and later as well," said Rizwan Merchant, lawyer of the Rana couple.

In her application, Navneet argued that the arrest is illegal as she was not told on what grounds she was arrested. Also, notice under 141CrPC was not served before the arrest.

The Mumbai police had on Saturday arrested Navneet and her husband Ravi Rana, who is an independent MLA. They were arrested on Saturday from their Mumbai residence after declaring that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's home in Bandra.

The Rana couple was booked on charges of sedition, promoting enmity, and assaulting a public servant to prevent discharge of duty.

Earlier on Monday, the Ranas approached the Bombay High Court seeking cancellation of the FIR in connection with the Matoshree (Maharashtra CM's Mumbai Residence) Hanuman Chalisa row.

However, the High Court dismissed the petition moved by the Rana couple for quashing the FIR registered against them for allegedly assaulting the police officer who came to arrest the couple.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought a detailed factual report from the Maharashtra government regarding independent Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana's allegation about her arrest and "inhumane treatment" meted out at Khar Police Station in Mumbai, top government officials said on Tuesday.

The officials said the MHA took the action following a request made by Lok Sabha Privilege and Ethics Committee.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has also sought details from the Maharashtra government within 24 hours on the arrest of independent MP Navneet Rana in Mumbai, after receiving a letter from the Amravati lawmaker that she had been subjected to "inhuman treatment" by the police following her "illegal" arrest two days ago.

( With inputs from ANI )

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