Actress Kangana Ranaut has been issued a bailable warrant by a Mumbai court on Monday in the defamation case filed by poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar.

The warrant was issued as Kangana has failed to appear before the court inspite of being summoned several times.

A metropolitan magistrate's court had summoned Ranaut based on a complaint filed by Akhtar according to which the actor has made defamatory statements on national and international television on July 19 last year.

"On February 1, the Andheri court, after hearing arguments made on Akhtar's behalf by lawyer Niranjan Mundergi, issued process against Ranaut for the offences under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to defamation. The court had considered Akhtar's statement made on oath before it and other material including the TV interview and the police report while deciding to summon Ranaut," an Indian Express report stated.

As per law, Ranaut had the option of either challenging the court's order summoning her or appear before it and deny the charges made against her, she failed to appear for both.