Actor Rajinikanth today approached the Madras High Court for quashing proceedings in a lower court against him following a criminal complaint lodged by a film financier.
Rajinikanth submitted that financier Mukunchand Bothra had already filed a civil suit against him.
The matter relates to a loan reportedly given by Bothra to Kasturi Raja, father-in-law of the actor's daughter.
The financier alleged in the civil suit that Raja in a letter dated July 13, 2012 had said in case of failure to pay the amount, Rajinikanth would pay it.
Rajinikanth had filed an application in the civil suit, saying the financier had an intention to "extort money."
Following this, the financier filed a criminal complaint before a magistrate court alleging that the word 'extort' brought disrepute to him.
Rajinikanth submitted in the high court that the complaint was not maintainable and "an abuse of process of law."
"... It is settled law that an averment made in a pleading in civil suit cannot be termed to be a defamatory statement unless the same is struck off by the civil court," the actor said.
He sought quashing of proceedings and summons issued to him by the magistrate court which stated that a prima facie case had been out against him.
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