Rajinikanth's wife Latha alleges 'humiliation, harassment' in cheating case
Tamil superstar Rajinikanth's wife Latha Rajinikanth on Wednesday opened up about the cheating case filed against her by Chennai-based Ad Bureau Advertising Private Limited. She told ANI it was a case of "humiliation, harassment, and exploitation of a popular person," adding, "This is the price we pay for being celebrities." The case is related to the rights of Kochadaiiyaan (2014). Latha was granted bail by a Bengaluru court on Tuesday and the next hearing has been scheduled for January 6.
Why does this story matter?
Previously, a Karnataka High Court order dated August 2, 2022, quashed cheating charges against Latha, following which multiple petitions were filed challenging the order. The matter also reached the Supreme Court, which restored the charges against her in October 2023. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, she was granted bail after furnishing a Rs. 1 lakh personal bond and Rs. 25,000 in cash.
Latha claimed no involvement in financial matters
The complainant claimed they lent Rs. 10 crore to Media One, one of Kochadaiiyaan's producers, and Latha had signed as a guarantor. But denying the allegations against her, Latha told ANI, "I have nothing to do with the money that is being reported." "That is between Media One and the concerned people. They have already settled, and the topic is between them. I made sure as a guarantor that they have been paid," she added.
SC's order on restoring charges against her
In August 2022, the Karnataka HC provided some relief to Latha when it quashed the cheating charges against her. However, it upheld the forgery case. She challenged this in the SC, which was also petitioned by the complainant against the HC order over the revocation of the cheating charges. The apex court restored the alleged criminal charges against Latha and asked her to approach the trial court to get the cheating and forgery charges dismissed.
About 'Kochadaiiyaan'
The Tamil film Kochadaiiyaan starred Rajinikanth and Deepika Padukone in the lead roles. It marked the directorial debut of Rajinikanth's younger daughter, Soundarya Rajinikanth. Kochadaiiyaan was a joint production of Ad Bureau and Mediaone Global Entertainment Limited. The 3D animated period action film, however, garnered mixed reviews. The film's Tamil version reportedly did better business at the box office in comparison to other languages, including Hindi.
