Independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana, who were arrested over the Hanuman Chalisa controversy, were sent to jail for 14 days by the court on Sunday. The couple has also been charged with sedition. The statement of Congress has also come on the matter of sending the Rana couple to jail. Congress said that whether Rana couple or Kirit Somaiya, a case has been registered against them under the law. His statements were animosity. The arrest has been made under the law. The law will take its course in the case of the Rana couple. Being close to BJP does not mean being above the law.
On Sunday Bandra Court’s holiday bench sent Independent MLA Ravi Rana and his wife Amravati MP Navneet Rana under judicial custody on the high-voltage face-off between Shiv Sena and the couple. The arrest was done by the Khar police. Ravi Rana will be sent to Arthur Road jail and Navneet will be sent to Byculla’s Women’s Cell. The court has sought a reply from the duo by April 27th so that the hearing will be done on April 29th. On the other hand, the Rana couple has to undergo a medical examination at Santacruz Police Station. Their Covid test will also be done.
Rizwan Merchant, counsel for Navneet and Ravi Rana said,’ On other parties’ complaint, Khar police registered an FIR against Navneet and Ravi Rana, the police filed a second FIR IPC against Navneet Kaur Rana and her husband Ravi Rana. under section 353.’ If an allegation of IPC 353 was made in relation to the incident at home, there is no reason why the charges were not added to the first FIR of 500. There is no allegation of 353 in the arrest memo. Public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat, for the first time, spoke in the direction of the police department and argued that the accused’s case falls under 124A, which is sedition.
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. Later it was announced by the couple that they have withdrawn the plans of reciting Hanuman Chalisa outside ‘Matoshree’ in view of prime minister Narendra Modi’s Mumbai visit. The police arrested the couple on the charges of promoting enmity between different groups. The couple in return demanded an FIR to be registered against CM Uddhav Thackery and the Senior Sena leader
