Rajinikanth's wife Latha to face trial in cheating case over non-payment of dues

CHENNAI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that Tamil superstar-turned politician Rajinikanth's wife Latha Rajinikanth will have to face a trial in a cheating case over non-payment of dues. The case pertains to allegations that she failed to pay dues to the tune of Rs 6.20 crore to advertising firm Ad Bureau. 

While announcing the decision, the SC stepped aside an order of the Karnataka High Court which had cancelled legal proceedings against Latha. The High Court had said that it was a case of breach of agreement and not of fraud. 

Latha Rajinikanth is one of the Directors of the Mediaone Global Entertainment that had taken Rs 14.90 crore loan from Bengaluru-based Ad-Bureau Advertising to finish post-production work of Rajanikanth-Deepika Padukone-starrer film 'Kochadaiiyaan', directed by Rajinikanth’s younger daughter Soundarya. The amount outstanding is Rs 6.20 crore.

The apex court had in February given a deadline of twelve weeks to Mediaone to pay the amount and said that if it failed, Latha Rajanikanth would bear the burden of payment. "Special leave petition is kept pending for three months. Within the aforesaid period of three months if the company – Mediaone Global Entertainment Ltd – does not pay the balance dues, the respondent-accused (Latha Rajanikanth) has undertaken before the Court to pay the amount due,” the court had said in February.