Rupali Ganguly has finally responded to the long-going feud with her step-daughter, Esha Verma, by issuing a defamation notice of Rs 50 crore. The actor has accused Esha of “maligning her character,” “humiliating” her with false claims, and causing mental trauma.

The legal notice, issued by Rupali’s legal team led by celebrity lawyer and Bigg Boss contestant Sana Raees Khan, reads: “Our client states that she was shocked to see the posts and comments published by you on various social media platforms, including Twitter (now X), Instagram, and Facebook. Our client states that it is apt to put forth the true and correct facts leading to the issuance of the present notice.”

The notice also mentions the mental trauma endured by Rupali, stating that Esha’s statements affected her mental health to the extent that she had to seek medical treatment. The public humiliation on set further led to the loss of professional opportunities.

The notice explains that Rupali tried to maintain silence in the matter but was left with no choice when her and husband Ashwin Verma’s 11-year-old son was called “illegitimate.” Rupali has now demanded an immediate, unconditional public apology; failure to comply will result in further legal actions.

Ashwin Verma Faces Backlash

After the family issue turned into a public spat, people awaited a response. However, the legal action taken by Rupali is receiving flak from netizens. Many criticised her for dragging her step-daughter through a legal route, feeling she proved every statement made by Esha.

However, Ashwin K Verma, Esha’s father and Rupali’s husband, faced even more criticism. Netizens questioned him for not taking a stand for his daughter and letting Rupali fight a legal battle against her.

Esha Verma’s accusation

In her claims, Esha mentioned that Rupali had an extra-marital affair with her father, which led to him breaking their home. She also claimed that Rupali as well as her father were abusive and physically assaulted her mother. “I was devastated, crying in high school because of the women who deliberately came into our lives, who broke my parent’s marriage, who physically hit my mother in person in Mumbai in my grandparent’s house. To see her win, that’s the most devastating thing which I have gone through. I’m not pinpointing just Rupali here; I have also gathered the strength to say that it is my father’s fault. He was also a very abusive man physically and emotionally so it’s a two-party street,” she told Bollywood Bubble in an interview.

In response to her statements, Ashwin wrote a long post on X, which read, “I do have two daughters from previous relationships, something Rupali and I have always been open about that I care a great deal about. I understand that my younger daughter still holds a lot of hurt about the dissolution of her parent’s relationship as divorce is a difficult experience that can greatly affect and harm the children of that marriage. But marriages end for many reasons, and my relationship with my second wife had multiple challenges that led to our separation-challenges that were between she and I and that had nothing to do with any other person. I only want the best for my children and my wife and it saddens me to see anyone being pulled into cycles of negativity by the media.”