Kumar Sanu has scored a major legal win in his ₹50 crore defamation case, with the Bombay High Court restraining ex-wife Rita Bhattacharya from making any defamatory statements. The case continues.
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Bollywood playback singer Kumar Sanu has bagged a major win in his ₹50 crore defamation case against ex-wife Rita Bhattacharya. The Bombay High Court has stepped in to shield the singer from further controversial interviews, posts, and media claims targeting him and his family.
On Wednesday, Justice Milind Jadhav of the Bombay High Court granted interim relief to Kumar Sanu. Rita Bhattacharya and some independent media outlets now cannot “write, speak, post, publish, or share” any statements about Sanu or his family that may be defamatory, false, or misleading.
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The court’s order highlighted that Rita’s previous interviews went beyond mere criticism. According to Justice Jadhav, some comments were a “personal tirade” against the singer.
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“I am of the opinion that at some places in the interviews given by Bhattacharya, there is a clear personal tirade against Sanu, which is prima facie qualified by words used therein,” the judge said.
While the court stopped short of deleting past interviews, it confirmed that any new statements or social media posts harming Sanu’s reputation are strictly prohibited. The next hearing for the case is scheduled for January 28.
The legal battle traces back to last year when Kumar Sanu approached the Bombay High Court accusing Rita Bhattacharya of tarnishing his reputation.
In interviews, Rita alleged that Sanu had mistreated her during pregnancy, withholding food and medical care.
Sanu’s team, led by lawyer Sana Raees Khan, strongly denied these allegations, calling them “false and malicious.” During the hearing, Khan emphasised that the statements had caused both personal and financial damage to the singer.
The history between the two adds more drama to the legal saga. Kumar Sanu and Rita Bhattacharya married in 1986, but their relationship ran into trouble and they separated in 1994. Their divorce was finalised in 2001, but they share three sons.
Interestingly, the 2001 divorce agreement had a clause that neither party would make public allegations against the other. Kumar Sanu’s legal team argues that Rita’s recent interviews clearly violate this pact.
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