Bombay HC Dismisses Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s ₹100-Crore Defamation Suit Against Brother, Estranged Wife

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed a Rs 100-crore defamation suit filed by actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui against his brother Shamasuddin Siddiqui and his estranged wife, Anjana Pandey, for non-prosecution. A detailed order copy is awaited.

Allegations in Suit

In his civil suit, Siddiqui alleged that his younger brother, whom he had appointed as his manager in 2008, defrauded and cheated him. Shamasuddin, who also handled the actor’s accounts, taxes and payments, allegedly misused the trust placed in him.

Siddiqui claimed he had handed over his credit and debit cards, cheque books, bank passwords and other financial details to Shamasuddin so he could focus on his acting career.

Defense Arguments

However, Shamasuddin’s advocateS, Ali Kashif Khan Deshmukh, Singdha Khandelwal and Farid Shaikh, said that the case filed by Siddiqui was baseless having no justified claims. “It was only filed to pressure my client against their financial disputes,” Deshmukh said.

Assets and Misappropriation Allegations

Siddiqui’s suit claimed that his brother purchased several properties under his own name while making the actor believe they were jointly owned. These included a flat and semi-commercial property in Yari Road, land in Buldhana, a farmhouse in Shahpur, a property in Dubai, and 14 luxury vehicles, including Range Rovers, BMWs and a Ducati.

Financial Misuse Allegations Against Ex-Wife

The actor further alleged that Shamasuddin misappropriated around Rs 20 crore and, after being removed as manager in 2020, instigated Siddiqui’s ex-wife to file false cases against him. He also claimed that Shamasuddin and Pandey began circulating “cheap videos” and defamatory social media posts, allegedly blackmailing him and involving other family members.

Siddiqui accused Pandey of misusing Rs 10 lakh per month meant for his children’s education and Rs 2.5 crore given to start a production house for personal indulgence. He said defamatory videos and posts led to the postponement of several film projects and caused severe mental distress, making him hesitant to attend public events.

Reliefs Sought by Siddiqui

The suit sought Rs 100 crore in damages for loss of reputation and emotional trauma, a permanent injunction restraining Shamasuddin and Pandey from defaming him, and an order directing them to remove all defamatory content from social media. Siddiqui also sought a written public apology and disclosure of individuals allegedly approached by the two to spread false information about him.

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He further urged the court to restrain them from disposing of their assets in any way that might prevent him from recovering the damages. However, the high court dismissed the case after Siddiqui failed to pursue it further.

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