Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui Files Defamation Suit In Bombay High Court Against Brother, Ex-Wife; Seeks Rs 100 Crore In Damages

A writ petition against Pandey filed by Siddiqui is also pending before the HC seeking the whereabouts of his children who are in Pandey's custody.

The defamation suit will be heard by Justice Riyaz Chagla on March 30.

According to Pandey's advocate, both parties are considering a settlement and Siddiqui sent a draft settlement to Pandey yesterday evening. However, Pandey has not been served with the defamation suit as of now. "I assure that from my side I am trying to fully ensure that all disputes between the parties, end once and for all; and that both parties as parents concentrate on the well-being of their minor children and work towards securing their future", advocate Rizwan Siddiqui for Pandey told Live Law.

According to the suit, Siddiqui appointed his younger brother as his manager in 2008 on account of his unemployment. Shamsuddin also had the work of auditing, filing income tax returns, payment of GST, etc.

According to the petition, Siddiqui gave his credit cards, debit cards, ATM cards, signed cheque book, bank passwords, email address, etc. to Shamsuddin for the work and he concentrated on his acting.

Shamsuddin started cheating and defrauding Siddiqui, the petition alleges. According to the petition, Shamsuddin brought properties jointly but told Siddiqui that the properties were being bought in his name.

The properties include a flat and a semi-commercial property in Yari Road, a place in Buldhana, a farmhouse in Shahpur, a property in Dubai, and 14 vehicles including Range Rovers, BMWs, Ducati, etc., Siddiqui has said in his petition.

When questioned, Shamsuddin instigated Siddiqui's former wife to file false cases against him, according to the petition. The petition also claims that Anjana Pandey represented herself to be an unmarried Muslim before their marriage despite being married to someone else.

Siddiqui has claimed that Shamsuddin and Pandey have misappropriated Rs. 20 Crore. Further, as his manager, Shamsuddin had access to many of Siddiqui's meetings and made audio and video recordings of the conversations, the suit claims.

Shamsuddin's service as Siddiqui's manager was discontinued by Siddiqui in 2020. After that, Siddiqui claims he received legal notices from Income Tax, GST, and other government departments for unpaid dues of Rs. 37 Crores that Shamsuddin failed to pay.

Shamsuddin and Pandey started blackmailing Siddiqui with "cheap videos" and comments on social media when he asked for his properties back, the petition claims, adding that Shamsuddin got his other brothers to do this as well.

Siddiqui has alleged that Pandey used Rs. 10 Lakh per month he gave for his children's education and Rs. 2.5 Crores he gave to start a production house for her pleasure and enjoyment.

The petition states that Siddiqui's upcoming films have been postponed due to the false videos and posts made by Shamsuddin and Pandey. Siddiqui has further claimed that the posts and articles are so defamatory that he feels very shy to attend social gatherings and go out in public.

Therefore, Siddiqui has sought a permanent injunction restraining Shamsuddin and Pandey from defaming him and publishing defamatory content on their social media. He has also sought a written public apology as well as taking down the defamatory posts made by them on social media.

Siddiqui has also sought disclosure of the people Shamsuddin and Pandey approached to convey "false and malicious information" about him. He has prayed that the two be restrained from disposing of their assets, especially in a way that might adversely affect him from recovering the damages caused by them.

Pandey's lawyer has said that the suit was filed before Nawazuddin Siddiqui proposed the settlement and withdrawal of the suit will be an integral part of any settlement between him and Pandey.