Hanuman Chalisa row: Rana couple sent to 14-day judicial custody

It may be recalled that they were arrested by the Mumbai police on Saturday from their residence here in Khar hours after the couple withdrew their plans to recite Hanuman Chalisa in front of Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray's house in Bandra.

Mumbai:MLA Ravi Rana and his wife MP Navneet Rana were sent to 14 days judicial custody on Sunday by the Bandra court holiday bench. While Navneet Rana will be sent to the Byculla women's jail, her husband will be sent to the Arthur Road jail, an official said. The Ranas were on Sunday produced before a court in Bandra which sent them to judicial custody for 14 days, public prosecutor Pradip Gharat said.

"Charges under IPC Section 124-A (sedition) are made out against them as they had challenged the government machinery and made remarks against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray," the prosecutor said. The court will hear their bail application on April 29, he added. Advocate Rizwan Merchant, representing Ranas, said, "Two separate FIRs were registered against the couple at Khar police station. All the charges are baseless and we will apply for bail."

It may be recalled that the Ranas were arrested by the Mumbai police on Saturday from their residence here in Khar hours after the couple withdrew their plans to recite Hanuman Chalisa in front of Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray's house in Bandra. The arrest was made on the allegations of 'creating enmity between two different groups, under IPC section 153 (A) and section 135 of the Mumbai Police Act for violating prohibitory orders by police, as informed by an official at the Khar police station in western Mumbai.

Before the arrest, the couple was detained in their residence in Khar on Saturday amid high drama with the Ranas arguing with the police personnel and demanding an arrest warrant. The couple reportedly said that they won't budge until the police take legal action against the Shiv Sena leaders Anil Parab and Sanjay Raut who 'threatened' them. Eventually, the couple set out and left with police in their vehicles after the officials reportedly managed to persuade the couple to go to the Khar police station with them. Both husband and wife were recorded sloganeering, looking at the Shiv Sena workers there before they climbed the police vehicle.