Hanuman Chalisa Row | Mumbai Court Grants Bail To Navneet Rana & Husband Ravi Rana

The couple was arrested by the Mumbai police on April 15 after calling for a Hanuman Chalisa recital outside Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence ‘Matoshree’. 

New Delhi: A Mumbai court granted bail to independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA Husband Ravi Rana in the Hanuman Chalisa recital case on Wednesday, news agency PTI reported. According to ABP News sources, the court has put strict conditions for the bail that include Rs 50,000 surety money. The Rana couple will be notified by the police and they will have to come to the police station to mark their attendance within 24 hours.

Besides, if they are found to be engaged in another similar crime, their bail will be cancelled. They are also instructed by the court not to talk to the media. Their lawyer said on Wednesday that the couple will hopefully be out of jail by this evening. "They are not allowed to talk to the media and they will have to be present whenever the police call them," he said. 

The couple was arrested by the Mumbai police on April 24 after calling for a Hanuman Chalisa recital outside Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence ‘Matoshree’. 

Although the call for the recital was taken back by the couple citing the law and order situation, they were still arrested later that day after Shiv Sena workers gathered outside their house and created a ruckus for hours. 

After being arrested, the couple was taken to the Khar police station. They were charged under various sections of IPC including section 153 (A) (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), and section 135 of the Mumbai Police Act (violation of prohibitory orders of police), and 124A which amounts to Sedition. 

The couple was later sent to 14-day judicial custody by the Bandra Magistrate court. 

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut also accused actor turned politician Navneet Rana of getting an Rs 80 lakh loan from builder-film financier Yusuf Lakdawala who died in jail last year. 

On Raut’s accusations, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Wasle Patil had said that the connection between Rana and Lakdawala will be investigated.