Hanuman Chalisa Row: Court Issues Notice To Rana Couple After Mumbai Police Seeks Bail Cancellation

Hanuman Chalisa Row: The development comes a day after public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat said the Maharashtra government would seek cancellation of bail granted to the Ranas.

New Delhi: A special court on Monday issued a notice to independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Rana after the Mumbai Police filed an application seeking cancellation of their bail over the Hanuman Chalisa recitation row, PTI reported.

Special Judge RN Rokade briefly heard special public prosecutor Pradip Gharat and issued a notice to the Rana couple for their response. The court will hear the matter further on May 18.

On Monday, Khar police filed an application through public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat, seeking that the court cancel the couple's bail as they had allegedly violated the condition of not speaking to the media.

"The accused persons (Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana) have given interviews to media since their release and hence, flouted the condition imposed by the special court while granting them bail. We are seeking for the bail to be cancelled and a warrant to be issued to the accused and they be taken in custody forthwith," PTI quoted Gharat as saying.

Navneet Rana and her husband Ravi Rana were arrested by Mumbai police on April 23 after they had announced that they would recite Hanuman Chalisa in front of 'Matoshree', Uddhav Thackeray's private residence. However, they had withdrawn their plan citing the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the city for an award ceremony on April 24.

Navneet Rana, MP from Amravati, and her husband, MLA from Badnera, were booked on charges of sedition and prompting enmity between different groups.

The MP-MLA couple was granted bail on May 4. However, the special court imposed some conditions on them, including not to indulge in a similar offence and not to speak to the media.

Will Approach PM Modi Over Our 'Ill-Treatment' In Maharashtra Jails: Rana Couple

Meanwhile, Navneet Rana and her husband left for Delhi on Monday and said they would approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to raise the issue of their alleged ill-treatment by Maharashtra authorities when the couple was in jail.

Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Navneet Rana said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray should not talk and teach the Ranas about principles as he himself had back-stabbed the BJP. The Ranas also dismissed the allegation that they committed contempt of court by speaking to the media.

"We are going to Delhi today and meet all the leaders who respect women. I am going to meet the prime minister, (Union) home minister and Lok Sabha Speaker and tell them how we were ill-treated from a lockup to jail. I am going to complain about it," PTI quoted Navneet Rana as saying.