MUMBAI: In a big setback to husband-wife duo MLA Ravin Rana and MP Navneet Rana Rana, the Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by the two for quashing a second FIR against them for resisting their arrest over the row to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s family home.
The High Court bench observed that the reciting religious verses at the residence of another person (Maharashtra chief minister residence Matoshree) or at a public place are a breach of the personal liberty of the other person.
The court also said that the persons (MLA Ravi Rana and MP Navneet Rana) in public life are expected to act responsibly. “With great power comes with great responsibility. Those who are active in public life are expected to act responsibly is not extra but basic am expectation,” the court observed.
“The state government is justified in the apprehension that it could create a law and order problem. We find considerable merit in the submission of the Special Public Prosecutor. He was justified in making reference to the FIR, to the declaration of reciting religious verses in the personal residence of the Chief Minister.”