Defamation case: Bathinda court directs Kangana to appear in October

The court has ordered Kangana Ranaut to appear physically on October 27. The summons will be served through the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP).

### Background of the Case

The case dates back to January 2021, when Ranaut allegedly defamed an elderly woman farmer on social media during the farmers’ agitation.

### Allegations and Complainant

The defamation complaint was filed by Mahinder Kaur, a 73-year-old resident of Bahadurgarh Jandian village in Bathinda. She alleged that Ranaut had defamed her in a social media post by mistakenly identifying her as Shaheen Bagh protester Bilkis Bano.

Ranaut’s tweet read, “She is the same daadi who featured in Time magazine for being the most powerful Indian. And she is available in 100.”

Feeling harmed by these remarks, Kaur filed the case on January 4, 2021, claiming damage to her reputation.

### Legal Proceedings

In February 2022, the Bathinda court issued summons to Ranaut. Following this, Ranaut approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking relief; however, her petition was dismissed.

She then moved the Supreme Court, which also refused to intervene and upheld the lower court’s order.

Ranaut maintained that she had only reposted a lawyer’s social media post without making any independent remarks. Despite this, the Bathinda court found sufficient grounds to continue the proceedings and rejected her plea for a virtual appearance.

### Supreme Court’s Comments

Earlier this month, Supreme Court Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta commented on the case during proceedings. The bench observed,

*”It was not a simple retweet. You have added spice. What this means is a subject matter of trial. Don’t ask us to comment on what is written in the tweet. It may prejudice your trial.”*

The judges noted that the Member of Parliament from Mandi had not merely shared the tweet but had added her own comment, which is central to the trial.

The upcoming court date will be critical in determining the next steps in this ongoing defamation case involving Kangana Ranaut.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/entertainment/bathinda-court-summons-kangana-in-october-in-defamation-case/story

Vodafone Idea files amended petition in SC seeking AGR relief

**Vodafone Idea Files Amended Petition in Supreme Court Seeking AGR Relief**
*By Mudit Dube | Sep 29, 2025, 04:36 PM*

Vodafone Idea (Vi) has filed an amended petition in the Supreme Court, seeking a waiver of interest and penalty on its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues. The company has also requested a recalculation of its AGR liabilities, citing previous cases where similar demands were accepted.

This latest petition marks a change from Vi’s earlier plea, which focused solely on recalculating AGR liabilities without addressing interest and penalties.

### Hearing Postponed to October 6

Last week, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing on Vi’s plea to October 6. During the proceedings, the Centre expressed that it does not oppose Vi’s petition but emphasized the need for a solution, noting that the government itself is an equity holder in the company.

The hearing relates to the Department of Telecom’s (DoT) demand of ₹5,606 crore for the financial year 2016-17 against Vodafone Idea.

### Legal Arguments and Additional Relief Sought

In its amended petition, Vi contended that the dues in question were already “crystallized” by the 2019 AGR judgment and thus should not be reopened. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, requested the adjournment to October 6.

Vodafone Idea cited earlier court judgments where waivers on interest and penalties had been granted. The company has now asked for additional relief, seeking that interest, penalty, and interest on penalties on principal AGR dues not be payable.

### Background: The AGR Case and Its Significance

The case originates from the Supreme Court’s March 18, 2020 order, which upheld AGR dues up to FY17 as calculated by the DoT, barring any reassessment by telecom operators. Despite this ruling, the DoT has raised fresh claims for FY18 and FY19.

Vi argues that much of the new demand overlaps with periods already settled by the apex court.

### Government’s Equity Stake in Vodafone Idea

As part of a financial restructuring, the Central government now holds a 48.99% stake in Vodafone Idea, having converted ₹53,083 crore of dues into equity.

Of the fresh demand totaling ₹9,450 crore, ₹2,774 crore pertains to the Idea Group and Vodafone Idea (post-merger), while ₹6,675 crore relates to the Vodafone Group for the pre-merger period.

### Outstanding AGR Dues and Liabilities

Vodafone Idea already owes ₹83,400 crore in AGR dues, with annual installments of ₹18,000 crore set to begin from March. Including penalties and interest, the company’s total liabilities to the government are estimated at around ₹2 lakh crore.

*This ongoing AGR dispute remains critical, given its large financial implications for Vodafone Idea and the telecom sector at large.*
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/vodafone-idea-files-amended-petition-for-agr-relief-in-sc/story

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