Maharashtra To Challenge Bail For MP-MLA Couple In Hanuman Chalisa Row

The Maharashtra government will petition the court to cancel the bail granted to MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana, special public prosecutor Advocate Pradeep Gharat told NDTV. The Rana couple was arrested by Mumbai Police in the Hanuman Chalisa row.

Mr Gharat said the couple's statements in the media amount to a clear contempt of court as they are in breach of their bail conditions. He said he will submit the petition for cancellation of bail in the sessions court on Monday.

The court while granting bail to the Rana couple had put the condition that they would not speak to the media regarding the case.

Ravi Rana had on Thursday alleged that prison officials did not pay attention to his wife and independent MP from Amravati Navneet Rana when she complained of health issues and requested hospitalisation.

Ravi Rana, MLA from Badnera in eastern Maharashtra's Amravati district, was released from Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai around 4 pm on Thursday. Two hours earlier, Navneet Rana had been released from Byculla women's jail in Mumbai.

"I am going to check on her condition. She had been requesting prison officials for the last six days that she be admitted to a hospital, but they did not pay attention," Ravi Rana had said, alleging that her health issues were neglected.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya accompanied Rana when he went inside the hospital to meet his wife.

Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana were arrested last Saturday after they gave a call for chanting Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's home 'Matoshree' in Mumbai, which triggered angry protests by Shiv Sena workers and supporters. The couple later withdrew their call, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Mumbai for an event.