MUMBAI: On the orders of a local court, the Mumbai Police on Saturday registered an FIR against actor Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel for allegedly trying to create a communal divide in the film industry through their social media posts.
The Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate's court had ordered the police to investigate a complaint filed by Munawwar Ali Sayyed, a Bollywood casting director, which referred to Ranaut’s and her sister’s tweets and other statements.
The police registered the FIR under IPC sections 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, etc.), 295A (deliberate acts hurting religious sentiments) and 124-A (sedition), a police official said.
According to Sayyed's lawyer, the complaint alleged that Ranaut has been defaming Bollywood for the last two months by calling it a "hub of nepotism", "favouritism", etc, through her tweets and television interviews.
Magistrate Jaydeo Dhule observed: "On prima facie perusal of complaint and submission, I have found cognizable offence has been committed by the accused. Allegations are based upon a comment on electronic media that is Twitter and interviews. The accused used social media and thorough probe is necessary. All offences alleged and levelled against the accused are cognizable. Search is necessary in this case, in such circumstances I have found it to be proper to pass an order under Section 156(3) of CrPC."