SC agrees to list plea seeking restoration of criminal charges against Rajinikanth's wife

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to list a plea filed seeking restoration of criminal charges against the wife of superstar Rajinikanth for allegedly diverting money paid to her for post-production of the movie 'Kochadaiiyaan'.

A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and J.B. Pardiwala directed that the matter will not be deleted on September 8, the next date of listing, when the special leave petition was mentioned by advocates Aman Jha and R.C. Kohli.

The complaint is based on the allegation that Latha Rajinikanth had fraudulently induced the Managing Director of a Chennai-based advertising company to deliver monies under the pretext of post-production cost of the movie.

However, she allegedly diverted the money for other purposes thereby causing him wrongful loss.

In its impugned order, the Karnataka High Court partly allowed the plea filed by Latha Rajinikanth and quashed the cognizance taken under Section 196, 199 and 420 of the IPC.

The High Court said that the allegation relating to cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property has been recklessly included.

In 2018, the Supreme Court had set aside the order of the Karnataka High Court quashing the FIR in the same dispute, saying that the latter should have allowed the trial to progress.

“We make it clear that…the averments in the complaint constitute a prima facie case for commencement of the trial,” it had said, while holding that the dispute had all the prima facie ingredients for being adjudicated by means of a criminal trial.

In September last year, the top court had stayed the effect of non-bailable warrant issued against Latha Rajinikanth till further orders.