Bombay High Court restrains ex-wife from alleged defamatory remarks, orders ₹50 lakh damages
January 24, 2026: Veteran playback singer Kumar Sanu has secured significant interim relief from the Bombay High Court in a defamation case against his former wife, Rita Bhattacharya. Granting ad-interim protection, the court restrained Bhattacharya from making or circulating any allegedly defamatory statements against Sanu or his family and directed her to pay ₹50 lakh in damages. The suit, filed in December 2025, seeks ₹50 crore in compensation over claims Sanu says damaged his reputation through interviews and social media posts.
Passing the order on January 21, Justice Milind Jadhav observed that some of Bhattacharya’s remarks went beyond permissible criticism and appeared to be a personal attack. The court also barred her and certain media outlets from writing, speaking, posting or publishing further allegedly defamatory material until the matter is examined in detail. However, it declined to order the immediate removal of previously published interviews, stating that the issue would be considered after hearing all parties.
Reacting to the order, Sanu said the controversy had caused immense emotional distress to his family, stressing that his reputation was built over decades of work. He has denied all allegations as false and malicious. The dispute stems from interviews given last year and also refers to a 2001 divorce agreement that allegedly barred both parties from making public accusations. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for January 28.