Mumbai: Playback singer Kumar Sanu filed a Rs 50 crore defamation case against his former wife Rita Bhattacharya in the Bombay High Court. The case was filed after Rita allegedly made some defamatory comments against the singer during an interview.

As per the petition, Rita’s comments about the singer in a recent interview were widely circulated on entertainment platforms, which caused him serious harm. Advocate Sana Raees Khan in the legal filing stated that Rita’s words caused the singer “significant damage to his reputation, goodwill, and professional standing”. It also claimed that the remarks led to mental harassment and dampening of his public image. The remarks were described as “false, malicious, and unsubstantiated”.

Further, it stated Rita’s comments in the interview breached their divorce settlement clauses. The suit asked for the removal of the content from all platforms and demanded Rs 50 crore in damages.

Kumar Sanu’s ex-wife reacts to defamation suit

Rita reacted to the suit.  “The paper he has sent me, he is asking for 50 crores. I don’t know how Sanu is dreaming that I have so much money. It is really sad. I’m shocked. He is filing a case against the mother of his three grown-up sons,” said the woman to ETimes.

She added, “I tried to call Sanu, but he never took our calls. Even my children were blocked. I contacted his secretary and requested that he please stop this. The first time he took me to court, I was pregnant with Jaan. Now again, at this age, I have to fight in court. My children are not kids-they are grown-up men. I don’t think it is their crime that they are answering people.”

She requested the singer to stop harassing her and the kids. “I will see him in court. But with folded hands, I request Sanu, please be a good human being and be the father of my three children. If you can’t love us, at least don’t disturb us and don’t harass us anymore,” she said.

The singer and Rita have been divorced for more than two decades.