Gunjan Chaudhary
Bollywood’s iconic playback singer, Kumar Sanu, has taken legal action against his ex-wife, Rita Bhattacharya, by filing a defamation suit in the Bombay High Court. The singer, known for his memorable hits in the 1990s, has demanded compensation of ₹30 lakh and the removal of interviews in which Rita allegedly made defamatory statements about him. The case was heard on December 17, 2025, marking the latest chapter in a long-standing legal battle between the former couple.
Kumar Sanu
Kumar Sanu Filed Defamation Case
Kumar Sanu and Rita Bhattacharya’s divorce was finalized in 2001 after years of marriage. The couple shares a son, Jaan Kumar Sanu, who recently gained public attention for his appearance on the reality show Bigg Boss 14. Despite their separation over two decades ago, tensions between the former partners have resurfaced, leading to the recent legal dispute. In the petition filed by Kumar Sanu, through his lawyer, Advocate Sana Raees Khan, the singer accuses Rita of making serious allegations against him in interviews.
Kumar Sanu
According to the petition, Rita gave multiple interviews on various platforms in which she made disturbing claims about her time during their marriage, especially around the period of her pregnancy. Rita Bhattacharya’s interviews, which went viral on social media in September 2025, have been at the heart of the defamation case. She allegedly accused Kumar Sanu of mistreating her during her pregnancy.
Rita Bhattacharya
These claims were widely shared across social media platforms, triggering significant media attention and public debate. Kumar Sanu has denied these accusations, stating that they are false and damaging to his reputation. In response to the viral interviews, Kumar Sanu has filed a defamation suit against Rita Bhattacharya and the media platforms that aired her statements.
Kumar Sanu
According to the legal petition, the statements violate a consent decree from their divorce proceedings at the Bandra Family Court in 2001. This decree included a clause that prohibited either party from making public allegations against the other in the future. The petition argues that Rita’s statements have caused Kumar Sanu significant harm, both to his personal and professional reputation, and have caused him considerable mental anguish. To remedy the situation, the singer is seeking ₹30 lakh in compensation and is also demanding that the interviews be removed from all media platforms where they were aired.