Did Nagarjuna Just Withdraw His Defamation Case Against Telangana Minister Surekha?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Nagarjuna withdrew his defamation case following an apology.
- Minister Konda Surekha expressed regret over her statements.
- The controversy involved remarks about Naga Chaitanya and Samantha.
- The incident emphasizes the importance of responsible public discourse.
- Legal actions were initiated by both sides, reflecting the tensions in public affairs.
Hyderabad, Nov 13 (NationPress) Renowned Tollywood actor Akkineni Nagarjuna has officially withdrawn his defamation lawsuit against Konda Surekha, the Endowments and Forest Minister of Telangana, on Thursday. This decision came just a day after the Minister expressed her remorse regarding her earlier statements concerning Nagarjuna and his family.
The Special Judicial First Class Magistrate's court dismissed the case as withdrawn following Nagarjuna's petition filed under Section 280 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), where he communicated his intention to retract the case.
On Wednesday, the Minister took to X to clarify that her remarks were not meant to offend Nagarjuna or his relatives. She stated, "I wish to clarify that my previous comments regarding Nagarjuna Garu were not intended to harm him or his family. I never aimed to hurt or defame Akkineni Nagarjuna Garu or his loved ones."
She further added, "I regret any unintended implications from my statements concerning them and retract those remarks."
The controversy began on October 2 of the previous year when the Minister accused K. T. Rama Rao (KTR), the Working President of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), of being responsible for the divorce between Nagarjuna's son, Naga Chaitanya, and actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
In response, Samantha issued a statement clarifying that her divorce was mutual and amicable, urging the Minister to respect her privacy and not trivialize her personal journey.
Following the backlash, Konda Surekha announced on X that she was retracting her comments, asserting that they were never meant to offend but rather to question a leader's belittlement of women.
Despite the Minister's intentions, Nagarjuna pursued legal action, arguing that her comments damaged his family's dignity and reputation. He expressed that her remarks disrespected his family, specifically concerning his son's divorce.
While KTR had issued a legal notice demanding an apology from the Minister, she maintained her stance on the comments regarding the BRS leader.
Moreover, KTR initiated his own defamation proceedings against Konda Surekha.
On Thursday, she claimed that KTR had provoked her into making those contentious remarks, emphasizing that she held no personal grudges against anyone. "I made those comments unintentionally. Upon realizing that I had hurt someone, I felt remorse and decided to withdraw those remarks," she concluded.