The Mumbai police  filed a chargesheet against Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband Ravi Rana – who are currently out on bail – in a connection with a case filed after row over Hanuman Chalisa. They were arrested by the Mumbai Police after they announced that they would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside ‘Matoshree’, private residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

They were booked under sections 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and section 135 of the Mumbai Police Act (violation of prohibitory orders of police).

News agency PTI reported that the Khar police filed the chargesheet in connection with the second FIR registered against the Rana couple under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 353 in the magistrate court in suburban Borivali.

The Rana couple was arrested on April 23 and was granted bail by a special court on May 4.

The Ranas announced to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Matoshree days after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray demanded the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from the mosque. He gave the state government ultimatum to remove the loudspeakers from the mosque or else his party leaders would play Hanuman Chalisa outside every mosque.

Following this, the Ranas said that if the government did not act this demand then they would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Matoshree. This call led to confrontation with Sena workers, who protested and demanded action against Ranas.

Ever since Ranas came out on bail, they have been targeting the state government and CM Uddhav Thackeray saying it had gone soft on Hindutva and arresting people for reciting Hanuman Chalisa. Recently, Navneet Rana claimed that she had got 11 life threatening calls for her Hanuman Chalisa move. The Delhi Police have filed an FIR and investigating the case.