Clad in a burqa, Bollywood actor Rakhi Sawant appeared in a local court on Thursday and filed bail application in a case involving hurting religious sentiments by making alleged derogatory remarks against sage Valmiki, who is believed to be the author of Hindu epic Ramayana.
The court of judicial magistrate Vishav Gupta granted her bail after she furnished two bail bonds worth Rs 1 lakh each. Earlier, the court had issued non-bailable warrants against the actor.
Surrounded by her friends and counsel, Rakhi went to the courtroom keeping everyone guessing about her presence as there was a possibility that people might stage protest or gherao her. There was also a possibility of physical attack on her.
The hearing in the case was scheduled on Friday but the actor appeared in the court a day before and submitted the bail bonds. She came to Chandigarh by air and then reached Ludhiana by road.
She left immediately after furnishing the bail bonds. Even the police were not aware of her arrival. On June 2, the court had issued fresh arrest warrants against her after she failed to appear for hearing.
The court had also ordered the Ludhiana police commissioner to execute the orders and arrest her by July 7.
Rakhi Sawant was summoned to face trial on the complaint of Narinder Aadia, a local lawyer, who had claimed that she made the alleged derogatory remarks against sage Valmiki on television channel in July last year.
It was also alleged that she had also uploaded the video on social media, which was being circulated on WhatsApp.
In April, the Ludhiana police had dispatched a team to Mumbai to arrest her after she did not appear in the court despite repeated summons and warrants. The team, however, returned empty-handed.
