MP Navneet Rana, MLA Ravi Rana granted bail amid Hanuman Chalisa controversy

Hanuman Chalisa Row: Maharashtra MP Navneet Rana, and her husband and MLA Ravi Rana have been granted bail by a court in Mumbai over 10 days after being arrested by the police. The MP-MLA couple was arrested by the Mumbai police on April 23 from their residence. 

According to the official statement issued by the lawyer of Navneet and Ravi Rana, the couple has been granted bail under certain conditions. The court has also said that no tampering with the evidence is to be done during their bail.

Rizwan Merchant, the Ranas’ advocate, said, “Court has granted bail to Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana. Some conditions have been imposed. They've been asked to cooperate in the investigation and interrogation. Police have also been directed to issue an advance notice of 24 hours to them.”

Court has granted bail to Navneet Rana&Ravi Rana. Some conditions have been imposed. They've been asked to cooperate in the investigation & interrogation. Police have also been directed to issue an advance notice of 24 hours to them: Rizwan Merchant, advocate of Navneet-Ravi Rana pic.twitter.com/K7TOqkVQBf

— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2022

Merchant further added, “Another condition is that no hampering or tampering to be done with evidence. They are not allowed to give any sort of interview to the media. Hopefully, they will be released by today's evening.”

It must be noted, that MP Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana were arrested from their home on April 23 after they had said that they will recite Hanuman Chalisa outside ‘Matoshree’, which is the official residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The Ranas were booked under Sections 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Section 135 of the Mumbai Police Act (violation of prohibitory orders of police), officials earlier said.

While ruling Shiv Sena had backed their arrest, BJP leaders had slammed the Maharashtra government for this move, calling the handling of the situation “childish.”

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