Hanuman Chalisa Row: Another Chargesheet Filed Against Rana Couple On Basis Of Second FIR

Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana were arrested by the police on April 23 after they announced reciting of Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray's private residence 'Matoshree'.

New Delhi: A chargesheet was filed by Mumbai police on Wednesday against Independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana in connection with the offence registered against them under Indian Penal Code Section 353, which pertains to assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty, linked to the Hanuman Chalisa recitation row, reported news agency PTI. 

Presently, the politician couple is out on bail. 

The chargesheet was filed by Khar police as they are probing the case in connection with the second FIR registered against the Rana couple under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 353 in the magistrate court in suburban Borivali.

Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana were arrested by the police on April 23 this year after they announced that they would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's private residence 'Matoshree'. This sparked outrage among workers of the Shiv Sena — Thackeray's party, leading to tension. The couple had later dropped the plan, citing a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the city the next day.

Apart from the IPC 353, the Ranas were booked under sections 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and section 135 of the Mumbai Police Act (violation of prohibitory orders of police). The police had also slapped section 124-A (sedition) on the Independent lawmaker couple.

The couple was granted bail by a special court on May 4.