Hyderabad, Dec 11 (LatestNewsX) – A city court in Hyderabad has issued a non-bailable warrant against Telangana’s Endowments and Forests Minister Konda Surekha. The warrant stems from a defamation suit filed by K T Rama Rao, president of the BRS, after Surekha allegedly made remarks that linked him to the divorce of actors Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya.
The Special Judicial First Class Magistrate for Excise cases issued the warrant when the minister missed a scheduled hearing. The case is now slated for a hearing on 5 February 2026.
Rama Rao lodged the complaint under Sections 222 and 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on her end in October 2024, following remarks by Surekha that he was partly responsible for the celebrity split. Earlier that year, the court took cognisance of the defamation claim and directed the police to file a criminal case against the minister.
After reviewing the complainant’s preliminary evidence, the court found sufficient ground to move forward under Section 356 of the BNY and the associated procedural rules. Surekha’s statement, made on 2 October, targeted the divorce of Naga Chaitanya and actress Samantha, casting her as a slanderous figure.
Actor Nagarjuna also brought a defamation suit against Surekha, alleging that her words damaged his family’s dignity. However, he withdrew the case after the minister publicly apologized via X, thereby nullifying the legal action. The court accepted this withdrawal following a petition under Section 280 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
In a post on X, Surekha clarified that her comments were not intended to defame Nagarjuna or his relatives. She repeated her apology and declared, “I would wish to clarify that the statement I had made in relation to Nagarjuna Garu was not intended to hurt Nagarjuna Garu or his family members. I had no intention of hurting or defaming Akkineni Nagarjuna Garu or his family members,” adding, “I regret any unintended impression given in my statements in relation to them and withdraw the same.”
Despite receiving a legal notice from KTR calling for a retraction and an apology, the minister maintained her stance about the BRS leader. KTR, in turn, proceeded with defamation proceedings against Surekha.
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