[Hanuman Chalisa row] Navneet Rana, Ravi Rana move Bombay High Court to quash assault FIR; hearing at 2.30 pm

Member of Parliament Naveent Rana and her husband, independent Member of Legislative Assembly Ravi Rana have approached Bombay High Court seeking quashing of case slapped against them for assault of public servant after they threatened to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray's private residence. .The matter will be heard at 2.30 pm today after it was mentioned by advocate Rizwan Merchant before a Bench of Justices PB Varale and SM Modak. .Earlier this month, the MLA had demanded from the CM, who is also chief of ruling party Shiv Sena which is heading the State's coalition government, to recite the Hanuman Chalisa at his residence on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. He also warned that if the CM does not do so, he would go to Matoshree (Uddhav Thackeray's residence) to recite it. On April 23, he said he would go to Matoshree to recite, however the couple called off their plans later. The Mumbai police, however, arrested the two in the evening amidst protests by Shiv Sena members. The couple was initially booked under Sections 153A (causing enmity between different groups), Section 34 (common intention) and later on booked under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for challenging the government machinery and making remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The couple were also booked under provisions of the Bombay Police Act for causing law and order situation in the city. They was remanded to 14-day judicial custody on Sunday by a Special Metropolitan Magistrate for MPs and MLAs at Sewree, Mumbai.Their bail application is slated to be heard on April 29, 2022. Meanwhile, a second FIR was filed against them, this time under Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the IPC.The present petition is against the second FIR. The plea by the couple said that they were in police custody from 5 pm on April 23. However, the information regarding assault was received by the police station after a delay of 3 hours, that is at 8 pm. The Ranas were already under arrest at the relevant time when the alleged offence is said to have taken place, it was submitted. Thus, if there was any truth in the allegations made by the investigating agency, the same would have been recorded prior in point of time. The inordinate delay of 3 hours stands testimony to the foul play of the investigating agency, it was contended. "The second FIR is a strategic and tactical FIR with the sole purpose of pressurising the Ranas as a result of a vengeful political vendetta," the plea said..Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly mentioned that the petition was filed challenging sedition FIR. The error is regretted.