In a significant legal development, the 48th Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Bengaluru has dismissed the discharge application filed by Mrs. Latha Rajinikanth, wife of veteran actor Rajinikanth, in connection with a cheating and forgery case. The order, passed on September 27, 2025, directs that trial proceedings will now move forward, with her next court appearance scheduled for November 10, 2025.
The case dates back to 2014, during the production of Kochadaiiyaan, directed by Soundarya Rajinikanth. According to Ad Bureau Advertising Pvt. Ltd., the company claims to have transferred ₹10 crore to MediaOne through RTGS under the personal guarantee of Mrs. Latha Rajinikanth. The amount was reportedly part of a larger investment, including Tamil Nadu theatrical collection rights, valued at ₹20.40 crore.
Ad Bureau alleges that despite the film grossing over ₹197 crore across India, the guaranteed payment and returns were not made. It further claims that the Tamil Nadu rights, which were promised to Ad Bureau, were later sold to Eros International, leading to a financial dispute. Following this, the company filed a police complaint in Chennai, alleging fraud and breach of trust.
The controversy deepened when Mrs. Latha Rajinikanth was accused of producing a fabricated letter purportedly from the “Publishers and Broadcasters Welfare Association of India, Press Club Bangalore,” during civil proceedings in the Bengaluru City Civil Court. Based on these allegations, the Karnataka Police registered an FIR in 2015 under Sections 196, 199, 420, 463, and 34 of the IPC, and later filed a chargesheet in 2021.
Multiple court orders, including those from the Supreme Court of India in 2018 and 2023, directed Mrs. Latha Rajinikanth to settle dues and face trial under the said sections. Despite her petition for discharge, the Karnataka court has now ruled that the trial must proceed.
Ad Bureau’s Managing Director, Abirchand Nahar, confirmed the court’s decision and stated that the case highlights a prolonged legal battle over financial commitments related to Kochadaiiyaan’s post-production and distribution arrangements.
With the dismissal of her discharge plea, Mrs. Latha Rajinikanth is now required to appear before the Bengaluru court next month to face trial on the charges of cheating, forgery, and using forged documents as genuine.