The Mumbai Police on Wednesday, 8 June, filed a charge sheet against Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana for allegedly resisting arrest and deterring the police from discharging their duty in a case linked to the Hanuman Chalisa row.
The case was registered under Section 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in Borivali's magistrate court, as per news agency PTI.
This is the second case registered against the couple.
Apart from Section 353, the Ranas were also charged under IPC 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), 124 (a) (sedition) and Section 135 of the Mumbai Police Act.
Background
Earlier, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had on 10 May issued a show-cause notice to the Ranas under Section 351(1A) of the Municipal Corporation Act and asked them to file their reply within seven days.
The notice was in response to alleged violations found on the 8th floor of the Lavie building in Mumbai's Khar West – which is the private residence of the Ranas.
The couple was granted bail on 4 May in connection with the case of threatening to recite Hanuman Chalisa with their supporters outside 'Matoshree', the private residence of Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray. They were released from prison on 5 May.
(With inputs from PTI.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)