CHANDIGARH: BJP MP and actress Kangana Ranaut on Monday was granted bail after appeared before a court in Bathinda in a deformation case filed against her by an elderly woman farmer Mahinder Kaur over an alleged derogatory remark made by her during the 2020-21 farmers' protest. Kangana said she had apologised for her social media post against the woman.
Talking to the media after appearing in the court, Kangana said, "This is just a misunderstanding. I had only retweeted a meme and did not intend to hurt specifically anyone. I have already discussed the matter with Mahinder Kaur’s husband and apologised to him as she was not present today. During the farmers’ protest, several memes were being circulated, and one of them was retweeted by me inadvertently."
Raghbir Singh Behniwal, counsel for the complainant Kaur, contested Kangana’s claim, saying, "Kangana Ranaut told the court that she had retweeted by mistake and not targeted anyone. But my client’s husband Labh Singh has said she has never apologised in the past. Kangana also moved an application seeking permanent exemption from personal appearance on security grounds, which we opposed."
The case has now been transferred from the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class to that of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (Special Court), with the next hearing scheduled for November 24.
Last month, the court had dismissed a petition filed by the actor, seeking to appear through video conference. Judicial magistrate first class Lakhbir Singh had directed Kangana to appear before the court in person on October 27.
She arrived at the court under tight security, escorted by police officials. Narinder Singh, Superintendent of Police, said the police had established barricades and strengthened security around the court complex. “Our main focus is to ensure that law and order remain intact so that no mischievous elements attempt to create any disturbance,” he said.
The case pertains to a tweet by Kangana during the farmers’ protest, in which she shared a photograph of Mahinder Kaur, an elderly woman farmer from Bahadurgarh Jandian village in Bathinda, comparing her with Bilkis Bano, the elderly woman who became a symbol of the Shaheen Bagh protests.
Kangana had allegedly claimed that such women were "available for Rs 100" to join protests. The remark drew widespread criticism, prompting Kaur to file a defamation complaint in January 2021, alleging that her dignity and reputation had been harmed.
In 2022, a judicial magistrate in Bathinda had issued a summons, directing Kangana to appear before the court. Later that year, she approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking the quashing of the defamation complaint and the lower court’s summoning order. But the high court found no merit in the petition and dismissed it. Then the actress approached the Supreme Court. On September 12 this year, the apex court declined to entertain her plea. Thus Kangana’s counsel chose to withdraw the special leave petition (SLP) in the matter.
Last year, a woman constable from the CISF had slapped Kangana during a mandatory security check at the Chandigarh airport over her controversial remarks related to the farmers’ protest.
