Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui files defamation suit in Bombay HC seeking Rs 100 cr damages from his ex-wife and brother

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui recently filed a defamation case against his brother Shamasuddin and estranged wife Anjana Pandey (Alia) in the Bombay High Court. Siddiqui has sought damages of Rs 100 crore for the defamation and harassment he allegedly suffered due to the false claims made by them. The case is likely to come up for hearing on March 30.

Through the suit, Siddiqui sought a permanent restraining order against the duo from defaming him and an order not to post any defamatory content on social media platforms. Siddiqui directed the two defendants to withdraw defamatory allegations against him on social media platforms and issued a written public apology for defaming him.

The actor has approached his brother and estranged wife to make a full disclosure regarding the alleged spreaders of false and malicious information. “Subsequent to the disclosure, both may be restrained from disposing of or dealing with their assets in any manner, particularly as this may adversely affect Siddiqui from recovering damages or other monetary remedies,” the petition said.

The suit alleged that the actor appointed his younger brother Shamsuddin as his manager in 2008, who also worked with him on audits, income tax returns and GST payments, and Siddiqui “blindly” handed over his debts and liabilities. Cards, signed check book and bank passwords, among others, for work for Shamsuddin, who focused on acting. Siddiqui claimed that Shamsuddin cheated him and bought the properties jointly while telling the actor that the properties were being bought in his name.

When Siddiqui confronted Shamsuddin, he said that he had instigated the actor’s estranged wife to file false cases against him. Siddiqui claimed that Shamsuddin and Pandey had misappropriated Rs 20 crore and since Shamsuddin had access to the actor’s meetings, he audio and video recorded them.

Shamsuddin’s services as Siddiqui’s manager were terminated in 2020 and thereafter actor Shamsuddin received legal notices from Income Tax, GST and other government authorities for unpaid dues of Rs 37 crore, the petition said.

When the actor asked for his property back, his younger brother and estranged wife started threatening him with “cheap videos” and comments on social media. He added that Shamsuddin made his other brothers do the same.

Siddiqui said his estranged wife used Rs 10 lakh per month for their children’s education and gave Rs 2.5 crore to start a production company for her own pleasure and enjoyment.

The actor said that his upcoming films have been postponed due to “false videos and recordings” made by the defendants, which are highly defamatory and that he is “too shy to attend social gatherings and go out in public”.

He added that his estranged wife, prior to their marriage, was married to someone else, but was allegedly portrayed as an unmarried Muslim, and was eventually “shocked” to learn the truth.

Meanwhile, Siddiqui had filed a petition in the High Court seeking to know the whereabouts of his two minor children, who are in the custody of his estranged wife, who had lived in Dubai for some time and then moved to India. The petition is pending before the court.

A day after he filed a defamation case, the actor has now reached a settlement with his estranged wife and sent a “draft settlement” to his wife Alia’s lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui. The estranged wife’s lawyer questioned the timing of the “drafting of the settlement” and said any agreed terms between the two parties to any settlement would include withdrawing the defamation suit.