Shiv Sena MLA moves privilege notice against Kangana Ranaut

Mumbai: In a fresh row, senior Shiv Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik on Monday moved a breach of privilege notice against Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut for her tweets pertaining to a Pakistani credit card.

A three-time legislator from Thane and among the top inner circles of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Sarnaik’s notice came at the start of the 2-day Winter Session of Maharashtra Legislature here.

“Film actor Kangana Ranaut posted a tweet that ‘the person (Sarnaik) who was to break my jaw at the Mumbai Airport’ held a Pakistani credit card,” he said.

“I admit that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing me. But no such credit card has been recovered from me. She has tweeted on a Pakistani credit card that I don’t possess as she wanted to defame me. Why should I have a Pakistani credit card.. What is the credit of Pakistan,” Sarnaik told media persons.

He has urged the Maharashtra Legislature’s Principal Secretary to forward his notice/complaint to the Privilege Committee of the Legislative Assembly so that an inquiry into the matter of breach of privilege and necessary action can be taken against Kangana.

In the last 2-day monsoon session, Sarnaik had moved a breach of privilege notice against Republic Media Network’s Chief Editor Arnab Goswami and Ranaut.

Sarnaik, who is Chairman of Vihang Group of Companies, and his two sons are currently being investigated by the ED over alleged kickbacks of Rs 7 crore from security services major Tops Group for reportedly arranging a Rs 175-crore security contract with Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

When the ED launched the probe, Sarnaik had claimed that he was being targeted by the agency for speaking out against Goswami and Kangana.