Telangana minister gets court notice over Samantha-Naga Chaitanya divorce remarks
A Hyderabad court has served a notice to Telangana Minister Konda Surekha, asking her to explain her remarks on the divorce of South Indian actors Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu. The court has asked Surekha to respond by October 23. The action comes after a criminal defamation case was filed against Surekha by Nagarjuna Akkineni, Chaitanya's father, under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Defamation case details and witness testimonies
Akkineni has alleged that Surekha made defamatory statements with the intention of tarnishing the Akkineni family's public image. His complaint is of both criminal and civil defamation, and he has sought ₹100 crore in damages for the alleged harm. The Nampally Special Magistrate Court adjourned the next hearing to October 23, after two witnesses—Venkateswara and Akkineni's niece Supriya—testified.
Surekha's controversial remarks and subsequent backlash
Surekha had alleged that BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) had sought inappropriate favors from the Akkineni family before their N-Convention Centre was demolished. She had linked KTR to Chaitanya and Samantha's divorce, claiming that "many heroines have left the film industry quickly due to KTR's influence on their lives." These comments were met with strong criticism from prominent Telugu actors like Chiranjeevi, Allu Arjun, and Nani who labeled them as "derogatory."
Legal notices and public criticism follow Surekha's remarks
Apart from Akkineni, KTR also issued a legal notice to Surekha and advised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to send her to a mental health or rehabilitation center. After facing the ire of the masses, Surekha retracted her statements. "My intention was only to point out how a leader is belittling toward woman but not to hurt your sentiments, Samantha," she wrote on X.
