Kangana Ranaut's legal setback: Bombay HC rules against trial stay in Javed Akhtar defamation case

In a recent legal setback for Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut, the Bombay High Court has dismissed her petition seeking a stay on the trial connected to a defamation complaint filed against her by renowned lyricist Javed Akhtar. The court rejected Kangana's plea and upheld that the proceedings cannot be stayed or combined with the cross-complaint she filed against Javed Akhtar.

According to a report by Livelaw.in, Justice Prakash Naik passed the order, emphasizing that Kangana had never asserted that the cases were cross-cases. The court noted that Javed Akhtar's complaint was filed first, and at this stage, the relief sought by Kangana in her petition cannot be granted. The dismissal of the petition marks a significant development in the ongoing legal tussle between the two Bollywood figures.

The defamation case initiated by Javed Akhtar against Kangana Ranaut is currently in progress before the Magistrate in Andheri. On the flip side, Kangana's complaint against Javed was halted by the Sessions Court. The actress, in her writ petition, had argued that both cases originated from a 2016 meeting and, therefore, should be tried together.

In 2020, Javed Akhtar filed a complaint against Kangana after she accused him of threatening her during an interview. The incident unfolded amid Kangana's public dispute with Hrithik Roshan over their alleged affair. Kangana, in turn, filed a counter complaint against Javed, alleging "extortion and criminal intimidation." She claimed that Javed had invited her and her sister Rangoli to his house with malicious intent, criminally intimidating and threatening her.

The legal saga between Kangana Ranaut and Javed Akhtar continues to unfold, with the Bombay High Court's recent decision adding a new layer to the complex web of accusations and counter-accusations.