Hanuman Chalisa Row: Navneet, Ravi Rana's lawyer calls their arrests 'illegal'

The arrest of Maharashtra MP Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi Rana is illegal, said the lawyer of the couple on Saturday. "The offence is available. The arrest is illegal and unconstitutional as both of them are public servants - MP and MLA. The Speaker’s permission should have been taken before arresting them, but no permission was taken. As per Supreme Court, a notice of section 41A should be given within 14 days prior to the institution of the case, which was not given," senior lawyer Rizwan Merchant told mediapersons. He said if the Maharashtra government did not release Navneet and Ravi Rana then their release order would be taken via court.

"A lot of time is being given to the Maharashtra government to take back this illegal arrest, otherwise, if this matter goes to the Court, we will take the release order via the Court’s proceedings. They were attacked even after they took back their protest," said Merchant. "Both of them were locked inside their house, honouring section 149 notice. So, the arrest is absolutely illegal. As per my instruction to my client, a complaint has been registered against those who tried to attack outside their residence," he added. Mumbai Police on Saturday arrested Amravati Member of Parliament Navneet Rana and Member of Legislative Assembly Ravi Rana on Saturday.

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The police officials took them to Khar Police Station. "A case is registered at Khar Police against MLA Ravi Rana and MP Navneet Kaur Rana U/S 153(A), 34, IPC r/w 37(1) 135 Bombay police act. Both are taken into custody from their house at Khar. Further investigation is being done by Khar Police Station," stated an official release by the police. Earlier, Shiv Sena workers on Saturday protested outside the residence of Amravati MP Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi Rana who had announced their plan to chant "Hanuman Chalisa" outside Matoshree, the private residence of Chief Minster Uddhav Thackeray.

The announcement came after, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had stoked controversy earlier by asking the state government to remove loudspeakers from mosques while warning that if the demand isn’t met, his party members will put loudspeakers to play "Hanuman Chalisa".

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