KUALA LUMPUR (May 29): Malaysian actress Shantini Theva has lodged a complaint with the Chennai city police against former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Minister Dr M Manikandan for cheating her after having a relationship with her for five years.

In a report yesterday, Indian publication The Hindu said Theva alleged that Manikandan promised to marry her but abandoned her after she became pregnant.

She alleged that he had threatened her and her family members in Malaysia when she insisted on him marrying her.

Accompanied by her lawyer, Theva lodged the complaint with the deputy commissioner of police, crime against women and children, and later released a copy of her complaint to the media.

She acted in the film Nadodigal and used to visit the city when she was working for Malaysian tourism.

The actress said Manikandan was introduced to her in 2017 when he was the information technology minister and then he developed friendship with her on the pretext of investing in Malaysia.

Within a few days, he proposed to her and expressed an interest to marry her even though he had a wife.

She claimed that both were living in a house in Besant Nagar and he used to stay with her when he was in the city. As a couple, they both travelled to several places.

The report added that Theva said she had evidence of Manikandan staying with her and that his aides were aware of the relationship.

She alleged that she had become pregnant three times and was forced by him to abort, saying that they could have a baby after a formal marriage.

He lived with her until April and later pressured her to leave India.

The Hindu said Manikandan denied all her allegations and claimed that he did not know her.