Mumbai Police summons reporter for 'instigating people' outside Kangana Ranaut's bungalow

Mumbai police on Friday issued summons against a reporter of a national news channel for allegedly causing a gathering of a crowd during the partial demolition of Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut's bungalow in Bandra (Mumbai) last month, an official said. He is also accused of obstructing a public servant from discharging his duty, the official said. “The reporter had caused gathering of crowd during the partial demolition of Ranaut’s office at Pali Hill last month. He had also instigated people,” he said. “This journalist and others also obstructed a public servant from discharging his duty,” the official said. An offence has been registered against the reporter and others under IPC sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) at Khar police station, he said. “We had asked him to visit Khar police station on Friday, but he has not done it so far,” the official said. The Bombay High Court on 5 October closed all arguments and reserved its verdict on the petition filed by Ranaut against the demolition of a part of her bungalow by the city’s civic body. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in a written submission to the court on Monday denied allegations of malice and personal vendetta, and said Ranaut’s claim of ₹2crore as damages from the BMC for partial demolition of her bungalow cannot be “entertained”. It said after being served a stop-work notice, Ranaut submitted a “false and evasive reply” denying that any illegal construction work was going on at the site. (With inputs from Press Trust of India)