Rajinikanth’s wife to face trial for alleged non-payment of dues

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed superstar Rajinikanth’s wife Latha Rajinikanth to face trial in a case involving alleged non-payment of dues to an advertisement firm to the tune of Rs 6.2 crore.

The order came as a setback to the superstar's wife as the apex court set aside a Karnataka High Court decision that had quashed the complaint against her.

Reviving the trial against her, a bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi observed that the HC should not have quashed the complaint and gave her liberty to seek discharge from the case at an appropriate stage.

The advertisement agency alleged in its complaint that for production of the 2014 film 'Kochadaiiyaan', it gave Rs 10 crore to Mediaone Global Entertainment Ltd, the production company of the film in which Latha was a Director. Latha made out a counter case of breach of agreement against the advertisement firm stating that the company funded with Rs 10 crore although it promised Rs 20 crore.

Making several futile attempts to make her pay up, the apex court held, "This is a case which should have gone for trial." It set aside the HC order of March 10, 2016 and asked Latha to face trial. The bench had on an earlier occasion observed, "Just because they (agency) did not give you Rs 20 crore, will you (Latha) retain whatever they gave you."