Mumbai court orders FIR against Kangana Ranaut, sister Rangoli Chandel for 'spreading communal hatred'

A Bandra metropolitan court has ordered an FIR against Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel based on a private complaint filed by Munawwar Ali Sayyed, a casting director, and fitness trainer. According to a report by The Indian Express, the complaint stated that Ranaut was “creating divisions between communities and spreading communal hatred”. As per the report, metropolitan magistrate Jaydeo Khule said in his order that on prima facie perusal of complaint and submissions, he found that cognizable offence has been committed by the accused. He added, “Total allegations are based upon comment on electronic media — Twitter and interviews. The accused used social media like Twitter. The thorough investigation is necessary by the expert… search and seizure is necessary in this case,” and directed the concerned police station to investigate the complaint. According to the complaint filed by Munawwar, offences under sections 153A, 295A, 124 read with 34 of the Indian Penal Code have been committed by Ranaut and Chandel through their interviews and social media accounts. According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, the complainant has alleged that Kangana has continuously been defaming Bollywood as a hub of nepotism, favouritism and has been portraying people who work there as drug addicts, murderers etc through her official Twitter account and in television interviews. This, according to him, has created a very bad image of Bollywood in the minds of people. Munawar stated that an investigation is required to ascertain the real motive behind such hate tweets and an inquiry into the people backing such hatred to create communal disharmony and anti-government sentiments.