A high-profile criminal defamation case filed by veteran Telugu actor Akkineni Nagarjuna against Telangana's Endowments and Forest Minister Konda Surekha has been formally dismissed as withdrawn.
The court's decision follows a dramatic midnight public apology by Minister Surekha and a quiet, high-level mediation effort involving senior Congress leaders and Bollywood producers, bringing an end to a year-long legal and social controversy.
The case was officially dismissed by the court on Thursday. Actor Nagarjuna's counsel informed the court that the private complaint against Minister Surekha was being withdrawn under Section 280 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Section 280 of the BNSS permits a complainant in a summons case to withdraw their complaint if the magistrate is satisfied that there are sufficient grounds, which results in the acquittal of the accused. The court accepted the withdrawal petition and closed the case.
The decision to withdraw the complaint was the culmination of intensive, behind-the-scenes mediation. According to sources, the effort was initiated by Bollywood producers who share a good rapport with the ruling Congress government in the state.
Their assistance facilitated communication between a senior leader from the Telangana government and a senior All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader from New Delhi, who successfully brokered a resolution between Minister Surekha and actor Nagarjuna.
The breakthrough was signalled by Minister Surekha's formal apology posted on X late on November 12, just hours before the case was scheduled for hearing.
In her post, Konda Surekha wrote, "I would wish to clarify that the statement I had made in relation to @iamnagarjuna 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. I regret any unintended impression given in my statements in relation to them and withdraw the same."
I would wish to clarify that the statement I had made in relation to @iamnagarjuna Garu was not intended to hurt Nagarjuna Garu or his family members.
— Konda Surekha (@iamkondasurekha) November 11, 2025
I had no intention of hurting or defaming Akkineni Nagarjuna Garu or his family members.
I regret any unintended impression…
The dispute originated in October 2024 when Minister Surekha, during a public event criticising Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president K. T. Rama Rao, made a mention of the personal affairs of the Akkineni family as part of the political debate.
The core of the controversy involved the Minister making comments about the highly publicised 2021 divorce of Nagarjuna's son, actor Naga Chaitanya, and actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu. She reportedly alleged KT Rama Rao's involvement in the reasons behind the split and made derogatory remarks, attempting to link the issue to the family's N-Convention Centre controversy.
Nagarjuna condemned the remarks, saying they had severely damaged the family's dignity and decades-long reputation. He filed a private criminal defamation complaint, reportedly seeking Rs 100 crore in damages under the relevant section of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Both Nagarjuna and Naga Chaitanya had previously appeared before the court to record their statements during the legal proceedings.
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