Mumbai: Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her businessman-husband Raj Kundra on Tuesday sent a legal notice to actress Sherlyn Chopra seeking Rs. 50 crore in damages for ruining their reputation by making “false and baseless” allegations against them. The notice, sent through their advocate Prashant Patil, also sought an unconditional public apology from Chopra in newspapers and on digital media platforms within seven days, failing which it warned of civil and criminal proceedings against her.

Both Kundra and Chopra are accused in a pornographic content case. Last month, he was granted bail by a Mumbai court after two months in jail. Last week, Chopra had filed a complaint at Juhu police station against Shetty and Kundra accusing them of committing fraud against her. She had also alleged harassment, cheating and criminal intimidation.

The notice said Chopra’s allegations are an “afterthought” as she is also an accused in the case. Shetty is no way connected or involved in the daily affairs of the Kundra-promoted JL Stream app, it said.

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Days after actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra and businessman Raj Kundra’s lawyers warned actor Sherlyn Chopra of a defamation case, they’ve gone ahead with the suit. Chopra had filed a complaint against the couple for allegedly committing fraud against her and for mental harassment. Now, the couple has hit back with a defamation suit of Rs. 50 crore against her.

In a notice sent to Chopra by the couple, they claim that “entire allegations” made by Chopra are “concocted, false, fake, frivolous, baseless, without any evidence”.

It adds that they have been made with an “ulterior motive to defame and extort money”.

Furthermore, it says, “That, Ms Shilpa Shetty is not at all involved in any of the working affairs of the JL Stream App. It is nothing but an audacious attempt, by Ms Sherlyn to drag Ms Shilpa Shetty’s name to create unwanted controversy and gain media attention... we have complete faith in the Indian Judiciary, and we would be initiating civil/criminal proceedings against Ms Sherlyn Chopra... (sic)”

On October 14, Chopra, after filing the complaint, had also announced that she would reveal details about her allegations in a press conference. Replying to that, the couple’s lawyers sent a warning, saying, “Calling for a press conference to do this reflects a strong intention to commit an offence of defamation. Anything spoken by Miss Chopra in the public domain shall be held against her in the court of law...”