Nawazuddin Siddiqui files defamation suit against ex-wife Aaliya, brother Shamasuddin

Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has filed a defamation suit in the Bombay High Court seeking Rs 100 crore damages from his former wife Aaliya alias Zainab Siddiqui and his brother Shamasuddin Siddiqui accusing them of making defamatory and false statements against him.

The suit is likely to be heard on March 30 by a single bench of Justice Riyaz Chagla. The actor, embroiled in a matrimonial dispute with his former wife, requested the HC to permanently restrain Aaliya and his brother from making any statements or remarks that would defame him.

He also sought a written apology from his former wife and brother. As per the suit, Nawazuddin had appointed Shamasuddin as his manager in 2008 and "blindly" assigned all financial work to him. However, Shamasuddin started cheating and defrauding Nawazuddin and purchased properties using the actor's money, the suit alleged.

It added that when the actor learnt about the fraud and raised queries, Shamasuddin instigated Aaliya to file a false case against Nawazuddin. The actor claimed Aaliya and Shamsuddin have misappropriated Rs 21 crore from him. When Nawazuddin demanded that properties be returned to him, Shamasuddin and Aaliya joined hands and started blackmailing the actor by uploading "cheap videos and comments on social media", the suit said.