Hanuman Chalisa row: Special court rejects Mumbai police plea for cancellation of Navneet and Ravi Rana's bail

A special court on Monday rejected the Khar police station’s plea to cancel the bail granted to independent legislator couple MP Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi Rana for breach of bail conditions by speaking to the media on the subject of the case.

The duo had been arrested for threatening to protest outside then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s official residence by chanting Hanuman Chalisa.

Special Public Prosecutor Pradip Gharat had argued that once a breach of bail conditions is brought to the notice of the court, their bail should stand cancelled and they must be taken into custody. It was also argued that they are disrespecting the court and the law.

The Ranas in their response to the application had told the court that they are law abiding citizens and had not breached the court’s orders. They denied that they had made any statement over the case to the media and claimed that they had only narrated their ordeal having been in judicial custody for 12 days before being granted bail.

Special Judge RN Rokade said in court while pronouncing the order that the court has made limited observations relying on an apex court judgement that unless the violation of conditions affects the merits of the case, the bail need not be cancelled. A detailed order is yet to be made available.

Later, Prosecutor Gharat said about the order, that if such is the view of the court, then why are conditions imposed at all while granting bail.