Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao sent a legal notice to Telangana's Forests and Environment Minister Konda Surekha on Wednesday for defamation after she alleged that he was responsible for the divorce of actors Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
KT Rama Rao's lawyer has asked the minister to withdraw the statement and tender an unconditional public apology to the BRS leader within 24 hours for tarnishing his reputation with a "malicious and defamatory act".
Konda Surekha was also asked to refrain from engaging in any further malicious or frivolous defamatory acts.
According to the notice, if the minister fails to comply with these demands, KTR will initiate necessary and appropriate legal action against her.
The notice served by a legal firm on behalf of KTR states that due to a vitriolic campaign, their client was subjected to scandalous attacks with the sole motive of injuring his reputation.
"You along with media houses, have conspired to malign our client's reputation based on false information, assumptions, lies and frivolous allegations," reads the notice.
Ms Surekha made the allegations against the former minister while talking to media persons earlier in the day.
She alleged that Mr Rao was behind many actresses leaving films and marrying early.
She said the BRS leader was addicted to drugs and he blackmailed film personalities.
Popular Tollywood actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, who is the father of Naga Chaitanya, reacted strongly to the comments made by the minister.
Nagarjuna asked her not to use the lives of movie stars who stay away from politics to criticise her opponents.
"I strongly condemn the comments of the Honorable Minister Mrs. Konda Surekha. Don't use the lives of movie stars who stay away from politics to criticize your opponents. Please respect other people's privacy," Nagarjuna posted on 'X'.
"As a woman in a responsible position, your comments and accusations against our family are completely irrelevant and false. I request you to withdraw your comments immediately," he added.
Naga Chaitanya also re-posted his father's tweet.
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