Kangana Ranaut Secures Bail After Apologising in Court Over ‘Available for ₹100’ Tweet
Actress says post was a “misunderstanding”; complainant disputes apology claim
BATHINDA, Oct 28: BJP MP and Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut was granted bail on Monday by a Bathinda court in connection with a defamation case filed by elderly farmer Mahinder Kaur over the actress’s controversial “available for ₹100” tweet during the 2020–21 farmers’ protest.
Appearing in person, Kangana told reporters that the issue was a misunderstanding and that she had already apologised to the complainant’s family.
“This was just a misunderstanding,” she said outside the court. “I only retweeted a meme and did not intend to target anyone. I have already spoken to Mahinder Kaur’s husband and apologised since she was not present today.”
However, the complainant’s counsel, Raghbir Singh Behniwal, denied Kangana’s claim, stating that no prior apology had been made. “Kangana’s request for permanent exemption from personal appearance on security grounds was also opposed by us,” he added.
The case has been transferred to the Judicial Magistrate First Class (Special Court), with the next hearing set for November 24.
The controversy began in 2020 when Kangana shared a photograph of Mahinder Kaur during the farmers’ protest, comparing her to Shaheen Bagh activist Bilkis Bano. In the post, Kangana allegedly suggested that elderly women could be “available for ₹100” to participate in protests a remark that drew widespread outrage.
In 2021, Kaur filed a defamation complaint, stating that the post damaged her dignity and reputation. Kangana’s attempts to quash the case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and later in the Supreme Court were dismissed.
Kangana, who has faced multiple controversies over her statements on the farmers’ protest, was also involved in an incident last year when a CISF woman constable allegedly slapped her at Chandigarh airport over her remarks about protesting farmers.
The court’s next hearing in the defamation case will determine whether Kangana’s apology can bring a closure to the long-standing legal dispute.
