Kangana Ranaut's Defamation Case: High Court Upholds Summons Amid Controversy

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed Kangana Ranaut's plea to quash a summons in a defamation case. The case stems from her controversial remarks about an elderly farmer, Mahinder Kaur, during the farmers' protests. Kaur alleges that Ranaut's comments misidentified her and caused significant harm to her reputation. The court found no merit in Ranaut's arguments, emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations against her. This ruling highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding the farmers' protests and the impact of social media statements on public figures.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 1, 2025, 15:52 IST

High Court Decision on Kangana Ranaut's Defamation Case

Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has rejected the request from actress and politician Kangana Ranaut to annul a summons issued by a local court in Bathinda regarding a defamation lawsuit linked to her comments about an elderly farmer during the protests.

Justice Tribhuvan Singh Dahiya noted that the allegations against Ranaut, a public figure, suggest that her retweet contained false and damaging statements that harmed the complainant's reputation. The court emphasized that the filing of the complaint was not done in bad faith.

The defamation suit was initiated by Mahinder Kaur, a 73-year-old resident of Bahadurgarh Jandian village, who claimed that Ranaut's social media post misidentified her as Bilkis Bano, a prominent figure from the Shaheen Bagh protests, and insinuated that women like her could be paid to protest.

In her retweet, Ranaut remarked: "Ha ha ha, she is the same dadi who featured in Time magazine for being the most powerful Indian... And she is available for 100 rupees. Pakistani journalists have hijacked international PR for India in an embarrassing way. We need our own people to speak for us internationally."

This comment was in response to a tweet from Gautam Yadav that included a photo of Kaur. Kaur argued that the defamatory remarks not only damaged her dignity but also affected her standing among fellow protesters.

Kaur clarified that she had no ties to the Shaheen Bagh protests or the individual highlighted in Time magazine, asserting that Ranaut's claims were entirely false.

Coming from a farming background, Kaur actively participated in the farmers' protests and stated that Ranaut's comments led to public mockery and emotional distress.

After a thorough review, the High Court found no grounds to support Ranaut's petition and upheld the summons. The controversial post, which was subsequently deleted, targeted Kaur during her involvement in the farmers' protests at the borders of Delhi.

On February 22, 2022, a judicial magistrate in Bathinda had ordered Kangana to appear in court, prompting her to seek relief from the High Court, arguing that the trial court misinterpreted Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.