Overview
- After appearing in person, the Bathinda court granted Ranaut bail on a Rs 50,000 bond furnished by her father.
- Ranaut said she regretted a “misunderstanding,” calling the post a retweet of a meme, and stated she conveyed an apology to Mahinder Kaur’s husband because the complainant was absent.
- The complainant’s lawyer said the family has not accepted any apology and will consult before responding, and he opposed Ranaut’s plea for permanent exemption from personal appearances.
- The magistrate transferred the matter to the designated special court for cases against MPs and MLAs and scheduled the next hearing for November 24.
- The case stems from a 2021 post that misidentified Kaur as Shaheen Bagh activist Bilkis Bano and suggested such women were “available for Rs 100,” a remark that prompted the criminal defamation complaint.