HC to Sanjay Raut: 'We don't agree with what Kangana said, but is this way to react'

Referring to an alleged threat given by Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut to actor Kangana Ranaut in an interview, Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked if this was way a parliamentarian should react. Raut has been made a respondent to petition filed by Ranaut against demolition carried out at her bungalow by Shiv Sena-controlled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on September 9.

"Even we don't agree with a word of what petitioner (Ranaut) has said. But is this way to address?" court said. "We are also Maharashtrians. We are all proud Maharashtrians. But we don't go and break someone's house. Is this way to react? Don't you have any grace?" asked a division bench of Justices S J Kathawalla and R I Chagla.

high court, which stayed demolition, is w conducting a final hearing on actor's petition which has sought dams of Rs 2 crore for `illegal' action. Earlier during hearing on Tuesday, Raut submitted an affidavit where he denied that he had threatened Ranaut. While he had made a reference to Ranaut, it "wasn't in way that petitioner had alleged", it said.

At this court said that at least Raut accepted that he had been talking about Ranaut in interview, as at an earlier hearing, his lawyer had denied that Raut had made any reference to her at all. In an interview with a news channel, Raut had allegedly used an objectionable word while referring to actor, and furr said "What is law? Ukhad denge (we will demolish it)".

"You are a parliamentarian. You have respect for law? You ask what is law?" bench said. Raut's lawyer conceded that Rajya Sabha member should have been more responsible. "He should t have said that. But re was threatening mess. He only said that petitioner is very dishonest....That was a remark made after petitioner said that Maharashtra is t safe," she said.

BMC's `H' ward officer Bhagyawant Late, also made a respondent to case, stated that Ranaut's allegations of malice against him and BMC were an attempt to divert attention from illegal construction at her Pali Hill bungalow.

Senior counsel Anil Sakhre, who appeared for Late, said officer was only performing his statutory duty in carrying out demolition. But court asked what BMC was doing when alleged illegal construction going on. "Why did you wait to take any action until September 5 or September 7? You had turned a blind eye to it," bench said. Ranaut's counsel Dr Birendra Saraf reiterated that actor had t constructed anything illegally, and even if re were some irregularities, those could have been regularised by civic body.

Saraf had alleged earlier that BMC carried out demolition out of malice and vendetta after Ranaut made some comments against Mumbai police that irked Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra.

court adjourned hearing to October 5. 

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