The Bombay High Court has refused to quash a cruelty complaint against actor Hansika Motwani, paving the way for a trial that also places her mother, Jyotika Motwani, under legal scrutiny.
Nancy James, who was earlier married to Hansika’s brother, Prashant Motwani, alleged that Hansika and Jyotika subjected her to cruelty and harassment during her marriage.
She charged FIRs under multiple sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita: Section 498A for dowry-related cruelty, Section 323 for voluntarily causing hurt and Section 352 for criminal intimidation and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace.
Nancy James, who married Prashant Motwani in March 2021, says she faced constant domestic abuse during her marriage. She also accuses her in-laws of regularly asking her for money and costly gifts, which made her feel insulted and left her emotionally distressed.
In her complaint, she further claims that the Motwanis pressured her into selling her flat. She says the stress and mistreatment took a toll on her health and led to her developing Bell’s Palsy, a condition that causes sudden weakness or paralysis in facial muscles.
“Nancy and Prashant Motwani, Hansika’s brother, had a lavish wedding ceremony in March 2021. However, their marriage was strained from the start. A year later, the two started living separately," a source told a media outlet.
In February, Hansika Motwani and her mother got anticipatory bail from the Mumbai Sessions Court, which protected them from being arrested. Later, Hansika asked the court to dismiss the FIR against her. The Bombay High Court has now rejected her request, so both she and her mother will have to face trial.
Hansika, who predominantly appears in Tamil and Telugu films, is herself facing enough turmoil in her personal life. Sources indicate that she is facing marital challenges with businessman Sohael Khaturiya.