Influencer files ₹100 cr defamation suit against Khushi Mukherjee over remarks on Suryakumar Yadav

Social media influencer Faizan Ansari has filed a ₹100 crore defamation case against actress Khushi Mukherjee, following her remarks about Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav. The legal action was initiated on January 13 after Mukherjee claimed in an interview that the cricketer “used to message me a lot”.

Ansari, a Mumbai-based influencer, has lodged a complaint at the Ghazipur police station, alleging that Mukherjee’s statements were false and damaging to the reputation of a national-level cricketer. He reportedly travelled from Mumbai to Ghazipur to file an FIR.

Ansari alleged that the actress made the comments deliberately as a publicity stunt, which he claimed could harm Suryakumar Yadav’s public image. He has demanded strict legal action against Mukherjee, calling for serious charges and seeking a prison sentence of at least seven years.

Ansari reportedly stated that he wanted an FIR to be registered immediately. “I have clearly mentioned this in my written complaint and requested strict action. At the very least, serious charges should be applied,” he said. He added that, with more than two million followers on Instagram, he felt it was his responsibility to raise the issue widely. “I am not afraid of anyone. I only want justice,” he said, adding that he would remain in Ghazipur until action was taken.

Explaining his decision to file the defamation suit, Ansari said the ₹100 crore claim was intended to underline the seriousness of the allegations. He also cited a previous defamation case filed by his team against model Poonam Pandey, stating that his legal team was well prepared.

Ansari further said that if Mukherjee were able to substantiate her claims, he would publicly accept his mistake. “Until then, people across the country should support Suryakumar Yadav. This is a conspiracy to damage his reputation, and we will not allow it,” he said.

The controversy began after Mukherjee made remarks at a recent event when asked about dating cricketers. She said she did not wish to date any cricketer and claimed that several players were allegedly interested in her, adding that Suryakumar Yadav had messaged her frequently in the past. She also said she did not want her name to be linked with him.

Following the backlash, Mukherjee clarified that she had never been in a romantic relationship with the Indian batter and that her comments had been taken out of context. She said her words had been exaggerated, leading to widespread misunderstanding, and also claimed that her Instagram account had been hacked.

The actress later reported that she had spoken to Suryakumar Yadav only as a friend in the past and that they were no longer in contact. She added that she had not communicated with him even after the controversy emerged. 

Mukherjee also extended her best wishes to Team India and its captain ahead of the upcoming World Cup, saying their earlier conversations had taken place in a friendly context following a match defeat.