The Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed a plea filed by independent Member of Parliament Navneet Kaur Rana and her husband, Member of Legislative Assembly Ravi Rana, seeking to quash an FIR against them in the Hanuman Chalisa row.
A Division Bench of Justices P.B. Varale and S.M. Modak said the petitioners were active politically and expected to behave responsibly. "Great power comes with great responsibility, the expectation of responsible conduct of those persons who have an active life is a reasonable expectation," it remarked.
The Bench went on to say, "The declaration that they are reading religious verses in someone else’s house or even in public space, such an act is infringing public liberty of the other persons. The State is right to invoke provisions apprehending law and order situations. If the petitioners are law abiding citizens then there was no prohibition against them to extend co-operation to police and avail legal remedies against the State," it held.
