MUMBAI: Actor Kangana Ranaut has filed a counter-complaint against lyricist Javed Akhtar in a Mumbai court, alleging "extortion and criminal intimidation". She has accused Mr Akhtar of threatening her and also said she had "lost faith" in the Metropolitan Magistrate's court in Andheri.
Ms Ranaut's lawyer informed the court of a request to transfer the case.
Ms Ranaut's counter-complaint is in response to a defamation suit by Mr Akhtar, who has alleged she dragged his name into a TV discussion last year on the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
The two came face-to-face in the courtroom, where Ms Ranaut arrived accompanied by her enhanced CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) security entourage.
During the filing of the counter-complaint, Ms Ranaut's lawyer, Rizwan Siddique, accused Mr Akhtar of making threatening phone calls; calls in which he allegedly said "... you would commit suicide".
Ms Ranaut, the lawyer, said had been scared but opted to stay quiet at the time.
"Now she has recorded this in her complaint... when Javed Akhtar says he had nothing to do with this matter (the subject of the alleged defamation), why did he call Kangana?" he asked in court.
Mr Siddique also said his client did not trust the judge - metropolitan magistrate RR Khan, who last week warned Ms Ranaut that failure to appear for today's hearing could lead to a warrant.
Ms Ranaut had been called last week but stayed away citing "COVID-19 symptoms". Today was her first appearance, according to PTI, since the February summons.
"Kangana's health is still not completely fine... but still I told (her) that you come to the court so that it does not feel that we are not coming. Why is the judge repeatedly calling Kangana to the court? Threat to issue warrant was given twice..." Mr Siddique declared.-