Actor Sukanya has secured a significant legal victory in a defamation case against Sun TV Network that has been ongoing for nearly three decades. The Madras High Court has upheld a trial court verdict directing the broadcaster to pay the actor Rs 10.01 lakh in compensation.

The case dates back to the 1990s, when Sukanya alleged that defamatory remarks about her were aired during an episode of Sun TV's Nerukku Ner programme featuring conversations linked to sandalwood smuggler Veerappan.

A trial court had ruled in Sukanya's favour over a decade ago and awarded her damages of Rs 10.01 lakh. However, Sun TV challenged the verdict before the Madras High Court.

In its latest judgment, the High Court dismissed the broadcaster's appeal and reaffirmed the earlier ruling. The court observed that media organisations have a responsibility to verify content before telecast and noted that the channel had editorial control over the programme before it was aired. It added that the defamatory portions could have been edited or removed prior to broadcast.

The verdict brings an end to a prolonged legal battle and offers relief to the actor nearly 30 years after the case was first initiated.

On the professional front, Sukanya was last seen in the crime drama Thee Ivan and recently lent her voice to a song in the Malayalam action thriller DNA.