Kangana Ranaut's lawyer claims COVID-19 scare for star's inability to attend court hearings in Javed Akhtar defamation case

After actor Kangana Ranaut did not appear before the Andheri Magistrate Court yet again, lyricist Javed Akhtar’s lawyer Jay Bharadwaj on Tuesday said the Bollywood actor was resorting to delaying tactics in the defamation case filed against her by Akhtar.

Ranaut moved an application seeking exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds. The court has fixed the next date of hearing on September 20.

“It is nothing but a plea to delay the proceedings of the court. There have been seven to eight dates in the matter and we have pointed out to the court that she has not appeared on any of the dates,” said Akhtar’s lawyer Jay Bharadwaj.

While Ranaut’s lawyer Rizwan Siddique submitted in the court a medical report of the actress and said that she is showing symptoms of COVID-19. In the last 15 days, she had travelled due to the promotions of 'Thalaivii' and meeting people, stated Ranaut’s lawyer.

The lawyer asked for seven days to allow her to recover and also undergo a COVID-19 test. Ranaut had also suffered from the coronavirus earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Akhtar’s lawyer Bharadwaj has moved an application for issuance of a non-bailable warrant against Ranaut, which has been kept pending for the next date of hearing.

“If the accused doesn’t appear then we are going to press it,” said Bharadwaj while talking about the plea moved by him for a non-bailable warrant against Kangana.

Meanwhile, Ranaut has also filed a quashing petition in Bombay High Court against the defamation proceedings in Andheri court.