Hanuman chalisa row: Political drama continues even as the Ranas are granted bail

Navneet Rana, the independent Member of Parliament from Amravati, was on Thursday released from the Byculla women’s prison in Mumbai and was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital. The political drama surrounding the Rana couple continued, with Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya reaching the hospital almost immediately to meet her.

Navneet and her husband Ravi Rana, Member of Legislative Assembly, were arrested from their residence on April 23 this year, after they had announced that they would chant the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s residence. They have been charged with sedition and promoting enmity between communities.

The couple had been granted bail on Wednesday but could not be released immediately, as the prison authorities had to wait till they received written orders from the court. The orders were received on Thursday and Navneet was released late on Thursday morning.

Navneet had also been taken to the JJ Hospital in Byculla on Wednesday due to spondylitis, and on Thursday, she got admitted to the Lilavati Hospital. Shortly thereafter, Somaiya reached the hospital and met her.

“I strongly oppose this mafia government run by the Thackerays. It is sad that the State of Maharashtra has to witness such times now. It is also unfortunate that Ms Rana had to come straight to the hospital from the prison. I have just come to meet her and inquiries about her well being,” Somaiya said at the hospital.

The Ranas, according to the conditions of their bail, are forbidden from speaking to the news media and are supposed to cooperate with the police in their investigation.

Ravi is expected to be released from the Taloja Central Jail later in the day.