Chennai:
Madras high court on Monday reserved its order on a personality rights plea moved by actor and celebrity chef Madhampatty T Rangaraj against costume designer Joy Crizildaa, who had alleged that he had cheated her into marriage and pregnancy. The plea seeks to restrain Joy Crizildaa from making defamatory statements against him on social media.
Concluding the final hearing, Justice N Senthilkumar directed the parties to submit their written arguments by Nov 14.
According to Crizildaa, her relationship with Rangaraj began in July 2023, and they married as per Hindu rituals on Dec 24, 2023, at Thiruveedhi Amman Temple, Chennai. She became pregnant three times, and she was forced to abort the first two pregnancies.
When she refused to abort the third, she was physically abused by Rangaraj, who threatened to end their matrimonial relationship. Subsequently, she learned that Rangaraj never divorced his first wife and he was lying to her. Therefore, on Aug 29, she filed a complaint with Chennai police commissioner against Rangaraj, she said.
Denying the allegations levelled by Rangaraj, she contended that she has not commercially exploited Rangaraj's personality rights.
Her statements are merely voicing against the injustice she and her unborn child have suffered, which is a fundamental right protected under Article 19 of the Constitution, she added.
While Joy Crizildaa has given birth to a baby boy, Rangaraj's counsel submitted that a DNA test should be conducted for the child. If the test confirms Rangaraj as the biological father, he is willing to take full lifelong responsibility for the child, he said.