Kangana Ranaut Petition Rejected by High Court Over Offensive Remark on Elderly Woman

Kangana Ranaut, a BJP MP and actress, faced a setback as the Punjab-Haryana High Court dismissed her petition to quash a defamation case and summons order from a Bathinda court

The defamation case was filed by 73-year-old Mahinder Kaur, who alleged that Kangana defamed her by misidentifying her as the well-known Shaheen Bagh protester Bilkis Bano in a tweet

Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya of the High Court stated that there were specific allegations against Kangana, noting that her retweet was defamatory and harmed the respondent's reputation

The complaint was filed under Sections 499/500 of the Indian Penal Code, and the summons order was issued by the trial court in February 2022

The controversy began when Kangana tweeted that Mahinder Kaur was allegedly paid to participate in the farmers' protest, a claim that was seen as defamatory

Kangana's tweet implied that the elderly protester was involved in international PR, which the court found to be a serious allegation warranting the case's continuation

Kangana Ranaut has been serving as a Lok Sabha member from Mandi since June 2024 and is known for her roles in Bollywood films, including her directorial debut 'Emergency'

The High Court's decision upholds the Bathinda court's earlier ruling that there was sufficient material to pursue the defamation case against Kangana

The case highlights the legal challenges celebrities may face when their public statements are perceived as harmful or defamatory

This legal development adds to the ongoing scrutiny and debate around the responsibilities of public figures when using social media platforms