- Hansika Motwani filed a Rs 2 crore defamation suit against Muskan Nancy James in Mumbai sessions court
- The suit alleges James made false claims of domestic violence to avoid repaying a Rs 27 lakh loan
- Muskan Nancy James had earlier filed an FIR alleging cruelty, harassment, and interference by Motwani
Actor Hansika Motwani has approached a Mumbai sessions court, filing a defamation suit against her estranged sister-in-law, television actor Muskan Nancy James.
In her plea, Hansika Motwani has sought Rs 2 crore in damages and requested the court to restrain James from making any further statements against her. She has also sought a public apology.
The suit, filed through advocate Adnan Shaikh, alleges that James made false and defamatory claims on social media, accusing Motwani and her brother Prashant Motwani of domestic violence.
Alleged Loan Dispute At Centre Of Case
According to the petition, the allegations were made to avoid repaying a loan of Rs 27 lakh. Hansika Motwani has claimed that the amount was borrowed by Muskan Nancy James during her marriage to Prashant Motwani and has remained unpaid despite repeated requests.
Motwani has maintained that she had minimal involvement in her brother's marriage and was not living with the couple. She stated that she was largely unaware of their personal disputes as their relationship deteriorated over time.
FIR And Counter Claims
The legal dispute follows an earlier FIR filed by Muskan Nancy James against her husband and Hansika Motwani. In her complaint, James alleged cruelty, harassment, interference in her marriage, and demands for expensive gifts during wedding ceremonies. She also claimed that the stress from the marriage led to her developing Bell's Palsy.
Motwani has denied all allegations, stating that she was not part of any shared household arrangement and cannot be held responsible for the claims made against her.
Legal Action Across Courts
Apart from the civil defamation suit, Hansika Motwani has also filed a criminal defamation case against James before a magistrate's court in Andheri under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
She had earlier moved the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the FIR filed against her, arguing that the accusations were baseless and intended to harm her reputation. The High Court has issued notice on her plea.
Background Of The Dispute
The matter stems from the troubled marriage between Prashant Motwani and Muskan Nancy James, who got married in 2020 and have reportedly been living separately since 2022. Motwani has stated that divorce discussions between the two had already taken place.
She also clarified that she has been living separately from her husband since her own marriage in 2022.
Statement Issued On Hansika Motwani's Behalf
The notice issued on behalf of Hansika Motwani stated, "Our client, Ms Hansika Motwani, has been deeply disturbed by the sustained defamatory media publications over the past few months. Her role in the marital relationship between the defendant and her brother was minimal. She had merely extended a financial loan of INR 27,00,000 to them, which remains unpaid to date."
The statement further read, "It is unfortunate that, amidst their personal disputes, our client has been wrongly implicated and dragged into criminal proceedings without any justifiable basis. The ongoing criminal defamation complaint filed by Hansika ji is already at an advanced stage, and she has duly participated in the process as required by law. She never spoke a word in the media about her personal life."
"In view of the continued and unwarranted character assassination through the media, she has now initiated appropriate civil proceedings seeking damages and injunctive reliefs. These allegations are not supported by any judicial findings or orders and are clearly intended to malign our client's reputation. Our client remains confident that the truth will prevail through due process of law," it concluded.
The defamation suit is expected to be heard by the Dindoshi sessions court in due course.