Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao has filed a defamation case against Telangana’s Forests and Environment Minister Konda Surekha, who held him responsible for the separation of actors Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
Rama Rao’s counsel Uma Maheshwar Rao filed a complaint on his behalf in the Court of Special Judicial Magistrate of First Class for Excise, on Thursday, October 10.
KTR, as the BRS leader is popularly known, filed a private complaint under section 222 R/W section 223 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. He sought criminal action against Konda Surekha under section 356 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The petition mentions BRS leaders Balka Suman, Satyavati Rathod, Tula Uma, and Dasoju Sravan Kumar as witnesses.
The petition cited the statement made by Konda Surekha which was published and broadcast by various media outlets.
Konda Surekha accused KTR of being a drug addict and blackmailing actors.
The complainant said that the defamatory statements by the minister caused incalculable harm to his reputation.
The minister is facing a second defamation suit for her remarks made earlier this month.
Popular actor Nagarjuna, who is the father of Naga Chaitanya, has already filed a defamation case against her.
The Nampally Metropolitan Magistrate Court on October 8 recorded the statement of Nagarjuna, who said that the minister’s remarks harmed the dignity and reputation of his family.
Nagarjuna claimed that Konda Sureskha’s remarks tarnished his family’s reputation, which has been built over decades through their work in the film industry and social service initiatives.
On October 2, the minister made certain comments on the divorce of the actor couple.
This evoked a strong reaction from Samantha, Naga Chaitanya, his family members, film personalities, and political leaders.
KTR had sent a legal notice to the minister the same day, asking her to apologise within 24 hours.
After Samantha issued a statement clarifying that her divorce was with mutual consent and amicable, she urged the minister to not trivialise her journey and be responsible and respectful of individuals’ privacy. Konda Surekha withdrew her comments.
The minister said that her comments were not meant to hurt her sentiments but to question a leader's belittling of women.
She, however, said that she was standing by her comments about KTR.
Though state Congress chief Mahesh Kumar Goud appealed to the film industry to treat the matter as closed with Konda Surekha withdrawing her comments, Nagarjuna went ahead with the filing of a defamation case against her.