Warrant issued against Kangana Ranaut in Javed Akhtar case

A Mumbai court issued a bailable warrant against actor Kangana Ranaut on Monday after she failed to appear before it with regards to a defamation complaint filed against her by lyricist Javed Akhtar.

The Andheri metropolitan magistrate's court had issued summons to Ranaut on February 1, reported the Hindustan Times, directing her to appear before it on March 1.

However, the actor failed to show up on Monday, following which, Magistrate RR Khan issued a bailable warrant against her. He also posted the matter for further hearing on March 26. A lawyer involved in the case had earlier claimed that March 22 as the next date of hearing.

Ranaut’s advocate Rizwan Siddiquee, however, argued in the court that the summons issued against Ranaut came without following legal procedures, hence, were "bad in law". Siddiquee also claimed Ranaut would file a petition in the Bombay High Court challenging the process issued by the magistrate.

Javed Akhtar's advocate Vrinda Grover, on the other hand, argued that even if the process is being challenged, Ranaut has to appear before the court as directed, especially without any directives of stay on the summons by a higher court.

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