The Supreme Court has agreed to list a plea to reinstate criminal charges against Latha Rajinikanth in a case of alleged cheating in the Tamil film Kochadaiiyaan.
On Tuesday, Justices MM Sundresh and JB Pardiwala said the case would not be “dismissed” on September 8, when the special leave petition will be heard.
The petition, filed by Chennai-based Ad Bureau Advertising Pvt Ltd, challenges a Karnataka High Court order to dismiss the cheating case against Latha on September 8.
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The case concerns the 2014 Tamil film Kochadaiiyaan, starring Kollywood superstar Rajinikanth, directed by Soundarya Rajinikanth and financed by Mediaone Global Entertainment Ltd. Ad Bureau Advertising was the film’s post-producer and Rajinikanth’s wife, Latha Rajinikanth, acted as surety for the producer.
According to the complainant, Abirchand Nahar, Managing Director of Ad Bureau, as post-producer, had invested Rs 10 crore in the project for 20% collection rights and 12% commission in the Tamil Nadu market.
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However, the advertising agency claims that the film’s producer, Mediaone Global Entertainment, failed to meet financial commitments. It also alleges that Latha failed in her obligations as a guarantor to the producer when the film was in the red and misappropriated post-production payments paid to her, causing undue loss to the complainant.
On August 2, 2022, the Karnataka High Court granted partial relief to Rasa, dismissing the case against her for cheating and giving false evidence. However, the High Court upheld the forgery case against her.
In 2018, the Supreme Court set aside the Karnataka High Court’s order to set aside the FIR in the same dispute. The Supreme Court said the high court should have allowed the case to proceed.
