Money diverting case: SC agrees to list plea on restoring charges against Latha Rajinikanth

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to list a plea filed against Latha Rajinikanth, wife of renowned actor Rajinikanth, for allegedly diverting money paid to her for the post-production of the movie Kochadaiiyaan.

A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and JB Pardiwala directed that the matter will not be deleted on the next date of listing, September 8, when the special leave petition was mentioned by advocates Aman Jha and RC Kohli.

The plea, seeking restoration of criminal charges against her, is based on the allegation that Latha had fraudulently induced the Managing Director of a Chennai-based advertising company to deliver money under the pretext of the post-production cost of the movie. However, she allegedly diverted the money for other purposes, thereby causing him a wrongful loss.

In its impugned order, the Karnataka High Court partly allowed the plea filed by Latha Rajinikanth and quashed the cognizance taken under Section 196 (using evidence known to be false), 199 (false statement receivable by law as evidence) and 420 (cheating and dishonesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The High Court said that the allegation relating to cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property has been recklessly included.

In 2018, the Supreme Court had set aside the order of the Karnataka High Court quashing the First Information Report (FIR) in the same dispute, saying that the latter should have allowed the trial to progress.

“We make it clear that the averments in the complaint constitute a prima facie case for commencement of the trial,” it had said while holding that the dispute had all the prima facie ingredients for being adjudicated by means of a criminal trial.

In September last year, the top court stayed the effect of a non-bailable warrant issued against Latha Rajinikanth till further orders.

With inputs from IANS