Singer Kumar Sanu recently filed a defamation lawsuit against his former wife, Rita Bhattacharya. She has now publicly reacted to the legal notice sent to her by the legend. In the suit, Kumar alleged that Rita defamed him in earlier interviews in which Bhattacharya alleged mistreatment by him during their marriage. The petition has been filed in the Bombay High Court through advocate Sana Raees Khan, seeking Rs 30 lakh in damages. It also sought the removal of Bhattacharya’s interviews from entertainment platforms.
Kumar Sanu`s ex-wife reacts to defamation suit
Bhattacharya spoke about the lawsuit to ETimes, wherein she claimed that the notice she received demanded a higher amount than what has been reported. “The paper he has sent me, he is asking for 50 crores. I don’t know how Sanu is dreaming that I have so much money. It is really sad. I’m shocked. He is filing a case against the mother of his three grown-up sons,” she said.
The dispute emerged after actor Kunickaa Sadanand spoke about a past relationship with a married man, hinting at Sanu, on Bigg Boss 19. Bhattacharya reacted to those remarks on social media, and her son Jaan Sanu, while criticising Sadanand. She questioned, “He is attacking me without attacking any other person. He is filing a case against me, not about the other people who are talking and inciting things.”
During her interview, Bhattacharya added, “I never got a chance to talk to him. Neither my children ever got a chance to talk to him because he has always blocked us. I tried to call Sanu, but he never took our calls. We are blocked on his number.” “I contacted his secretary and requested him to please stop this. It is a very big insult. My son was getting married, and the in-laws were asking questions. I requested many times. I have all the messages and recordings on my phone,” she revealed.
Bhattacharya added that the legal battle made her recall her painful history. “I am 63 years old, and again I have to fight in court. The first time he took me to court, I was pregnant with Jaan. Now again, at this age, I have to go through this. I will meet Sanu in the court after 31 years. This is very insulting. My children are not kids. They are grown-up men. My elder son will be 37, my second son will be 34, and Jaan is already 31. I don’t think it is their crime that they are answering people. They did nothing.”
She also indicated she may pursue a counter-case, saying, “I will see him in court. And I will request Sanu with folded hands — just try to be a good human being and be the father of my three children. If you can’t love us, at least don’t disturb us and don’t harass us anymore.”
Kumar Sanu and Rita Bhattacharya`s divorce
Kumar Sanu and Rita Bhattacharya parted ways back in 2001. The petition notes that both had agreed not make allegations against each other in the divorce agreement signed in the Bandra Family Court. The current action claimed that Bhattacharya violated that consent by making the allegations, including that the singer starved her, denied medical access, and locked her in the kitchen. She made the allegations during interviews that went viral in September 2025.
