Bathinda court orders Kangana Ranaut to appear in defamation case, rejects exemption plea

A special court in Punjab’s Bathinda district has rejected a request by BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut to be exempted from personal appearance in a defamation case filed against her, directing her to be present in court on January 15.

The court warned that failure to appear on the scheduled date could result in the cancellation of her bail and the issuance of arrest warrants. The matter is being heard by a special court dealing with cases related to public representatives.

The defamation case dates back to 2021 and was filed by Mahinder Kaur, a 70-year-old resident of Bahadurgarh Jandian village in Bathinda district. The complaint relates to remarks allegedly made by Ranaut during the farmers’ protest, which the complainant said were derogatory and caused harm to her reputation.

Ranaut, who represents the Mandi constituency in Himachal Pradesh in the Lok Sabha, has previously denied wrongdoing in the matter. The case continues to draw attention in Punjab, where the farmers’ movement had widespread public support and political impact.

The next hearing is expected to focus on Ranaut’s personal appearance before the court, as directed.