A magistrate court in Bombay on January 22 asked complainant Ali Kaashif Deshmukh if he had sought and received sanction from the state government to invoke serious charges like promoting enmity between groups and waging war against the government, in his sedition complaint against Kangana Ranaut. The court was hearing lawyer Deshmukh’s sedition complaint when it sought clarification.
As per Cr. PC, sanction is necessary before the court can take cognisance of charges. The matter was adjourned to March 10 on which date Deshmukh would have to show if he had obtained the Maharashtra government’s sanction. The lawyer had filed the complaint last year, objecting to Kangana Ranaut’s controversial posts. In his complaint, Deshmukh said that while every citizen of India had the right to freedom of speech, it did not include freedom of hate speech.