Kangana Ranaut Granted Bail In Bathinda Defamation Case, Says She Regrets Misunderstanding
Kangana Ranaut received bail in the Bathinda defamation case linked to her 2021 farmers’ protest post. The actress said she regrets the misunderstanding
Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has been granted bail by a local court in Punjab’s Bathinda in connection with the ongoing defamation case filed against her. The case stems from her 2021 social media remarks made during the farmers’ protest, which allegedly misidentified and offended a senior woman farmer.
The Mandi MP appeared before the court on Tuesday after her request to attend the hearing via video conference was denied. Following the proceedings, Kangana addressed the media, expressing remorse for the situation and clarifying that her intention had never been to disrespect anyone.
Kangana Ranaut Expresses Regret Over ‘Misunderstanding’
Speaking outside the court, Kangana said, “Whatever misunderstanding happened with the family of Mahinder [Kaur] ji, I gave a message to her husband for ‘mata ji’ about how she was the victim of a misunderstanding.”
The actor-politician added that she holds women from both Punjab and Himachal in high regard. “Never in my dreams could I imagine this, the way this controversy was created. Every ‘mata’, be she from Punjab or Himachal, is respectable to me," she said.
When asked whether she admitted to an unintentional mistake, the actress responded, “There was a retweet, which was used as a meme. I have also spoken and discussed this with the husband of Mahinder ji."
She further clarified that her post was not directed at any one individual. “There were many women in the meme and no comments were made against any particular individual,” she stated.
Background of the Case
The defamation case dates back to the 2020–21 farmers’ protests, when Kangana had confused 73-year-old Punjab farmer Mahinder Kaur with Bilkis Bano, a well-known protester from Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh movement. In a controversial tweet, she claimed that the elderly woman was “available for Rs 100” to participate in protests.
Following this, Mahinder Kaur filed a criminal defamation complaint under Sections 499 and 500 of the IPC, alleging that Kangana’s remarks had damaged her reputation and dignity.
Next Hearing on November 24
The Bathinda court granted Kangana bail after her appearance. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for November 24.
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