Actress and BJP leader Kangana Ranaut faced a setback in a defamation case, as the Supreme Court declined to offer relief. Ranaut withdrew her petition seeking to quash the defamation case. The case stems from a 2021 tweet where she wrongly identified a woman involved in the farmers’ protest as Bilkis Bano of Shaheen Bagh.
The hearing was conducted by a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta. Justice Mehta stated that the tweet was not merely a retweet but contained added commentary, making it a matter for trial.
The Supreme Court, while addressing the case, noted that even though the tweet was a retweet from another user, the case couldn’t be dismissed. The court added that the matter necessitates a trial. The court also made strong remarks, advising against commenting on the tweets to avoid negatively impacting the case. The court then inquired if Ranaut wished to withdraw her petition, leading her to do so following the court’s comments.
Ranaut’s lawyer argued that the tweet was a retweet, with the original tweet from someone else. The lawyer maintained that the tweet was misunderstood, and many people had retweeted it. The lawyer further stated that the case was filed, and a lower court issued a summons, with the High Court also denying relief. The lawyer added that the original tweet was not from Kangana.
The Supreme Court initiated a hearing on Kangana Ranaut’s petition regarding her disparaging comment made against a woman during the 2020-21 farmers’ protest. In her comment, she falsely identified the woman as Bilkis Bano of Shaheen Bagh. The complaint was filed in 2021 by 73-year-old Mahinder Kaur from Bathinda district, who alleged that Ranaut made false accusations against her in a retweet, claiming she was the same elderly woman (Bilkis Bano) who participated in the Shaheen Bagh protests.