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Kangana Ranaut-Javed Akhtar case heads to mediation as settlement sought

Kangana Ranaut-Javed Akhtar case heads to mediation as settlement sought

Five years after Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar filed a defamation complaint against actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranautthe legal battle is now heading to mediation. A Mumbai court agreed to Akhtar and Ranaut’s request that the settlement negotiations be mediated by a judge, and the matter was referred to mediation.

Akhtar’s complaint was initially heard by the Andheri court. However, a few months ago when Ranaut was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, the case was transferred to a special MP court in Bandra.

The Bandra High Court had barely started hearing when on November 5, lawyers Jay K Bhardwaj (representing Akhtar) and Rizwan Siddiquee (representing Ranaut) claimed that “settlement talks are taking place” between the two parties. By mutual consent, the lawyers asked for an adjournment and requested a date a month later to allow settlement talks to continue.

However, the talks do not seem to be leading to a resolution. When the case came up for trial before the Special Magistrate on December 9, the lawyers stated that certain problems had arisen, preventing a settlement. They expressed a preference for the mediation to be led by a judge rather than lawyers.

The magistrate agreed to their request and noted, “On the submission of both counsels, the matter is referred to mediation.”

Mediation sessions will take place between the two parties, and the Magistrate will hear the case again on January 21, 2025, with the hope that mediation will successfully resolve the matter.

This legal battle stems from a meeting held at Akhtar’s residence in March 2016. At the time, Ranaut and actor Hrithik Roshan were in the news over their email exchange, which had turned into a public spat. Akhtar, who is said to be close to Roshan, took it upon himself to hold a meeting with Ranaut and reportedly asked him to apologize to Roshan.

Ranaut did not immediately respond. However, in 2020, after the alleged suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, Ranaut described the 2016 meeting with Akhtar during a televised interview. Akhtar found the interview defamatory and subsequently filed a defamation complaint against Ranaut.

The legal dispute escalated when Ranaut filed a counter-complaint against Akhtar, alleging that he tried to force her to apologize under undue pressure. This proceeding against Akhtar was stayed by the Dindoshi Sessions Court.

Published on:

December 14, 2024