No Ground For Sedition Against Maha MP Navneet Rana, Husband Ravi Rana: Court

Mumbai: A court in Mumbai has said that there is no sufficient ground for invoking the charge of sedition against Maharashtra’s Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Rana.

It also said that the couple’s announcement of reciting Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s residence was not intended to “destroy the government by violent means”, and although their statements are “blameworthy” they cannot be stretched too far to be brought under the ambit of the sedition charge.

Special court judge RN Rokade made the remarks while granting bail to the MLA couple on Wednesday. A detailed copy of the order was made available on Friday.

The court held that a prima facie charge against the couple under Section 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) does not make out against the couple.

Mumbai Police last week opposed the couple’s bail plea, saying their plan seemed innocent but was in fact a “larger conspiracy” to challenge the state government. The aim of the plan was to demolish the law and order situation and then demand the dissolution of the present government by the Governor of Maharashtra.

The police had said that the provisions of sedition are attracted when the use of words has a malicious tendency or intent to disturb public disorder or law and order.

However, taking note of the transcripts of the couple’s speeches, the court said, “undoubtedly, the applicants have exceeded the limits of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under the Constitution. However, a mere expression of derogatory or objectionable words may not be a sufficient ground for invoking the provisions contained in section 124A of IPC.”

“The provisions shall apply only if there is a tendency or intention to cause disorder or public peace by resorting to violence, both in written and spoken word. Therefore, though the statements and actions of the applicants are faulty, they cannot be extended too far to bring them within the purview of section 124A of the IPC,” it said.

The Mumbai police had arrested the Ranas on April 23 following their announcement of reciting Hanuman Chalisa outside ‘Matoshree’, Thackeray’s private residence in suburban Bandra. They were booked under various provisions of the IPC, including charges of sedition and promoting enmity. The couple walked out of jail on Thursday, a day after getting bail.

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