Chennai: Veteran actor Ambika, known for her work in Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam cinema, has been named in a complaint alleging an attempt to withdraw ₹46 crore using signed blank cheques. The complaint was filed by her sister and fellow actor Radha with the Greater Chennai police commissioner on September 21.
According to Radha’s complaint, she maintained a current account with IDBI Bank for business-related expenses and had kept some signed blank cheques at her residence in Chennai. The cheques were reportedly meant for routine payments such as salaries, taxes, utility bills and garden maintenance while she was travelling.
Radha said the account was earlier operated under the name ARS Garden Studio. After the business was renamed RR Gardens in January 2025, she obtained a new cheque book and stopped using the old one.
On September 17, bank officials allegedly informed Radha that five cheques from the old cheque book had been presented, seeking a total of ₹46 crore in Ambika’s name. Radha said she had neither issued the cheques to Ambika nor entered into any financial agreement with her that could justify such a payment.
She subsequently instructed the bank to stop the transactions, according to the complaint.
Radha has alleged that her brother Mallikarjun Kunjann Nair filled in the cheques and claimed that Ambika and Mallikarjun had acted together with an intention to obtain an unlawful financial benefit. She further alleged that the cheques were taken from her room while she was away from Chennai.
The complaint also raises concerns over access to family property. Radha alleged that she had been prevented from accessing the property for around 18 months and that valuables, jewellery, property documents and other records were kept there.
Radha has sought a detailed investigation and criminal action if the allegations are established.
Ambika has had a long career across South Indian cinema and is remembered by Kannada audiences for films including ‘Chakravyuha’, in which she appeared alongside late actor Ambareesh. Radha, who made her acting debut with Bharathiraja’s 1981 Tamil film ‘Alaigal Oivathillai’, was also among the prominent actresses of Tamil cinema during the 1980s.
