Bollywood actress Hansika Motwani, along with her mother Jyoti Motwani, has moved the Bombay High Court seeking to quash an FIR filed against them under charges of cruelty Section 498A IPC, criminal intimidation (Section 506 IPC), intentional insult Section 504 IPC, and causing hurt Section 323 IPC. The FIR was lodged at the behest of Muskan James, Hansika’s sister-in-law.
A division bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Shriram Modak has issued notice on the petition and adjourned the hearing till July 3, 2025.
"The allegations leveled against the petitioners are baseless, motivated, and arise out of domestic disputes that have been exaggerated to bring them under the purview of criminal prosecution. The petitioners had no direct involvement in the alleged marital issues between Muskan and Prashant. They were roped in solely because they are related to Prashant,"
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The FIR, registered in December 2024, originates from a complaint by Muskan James, who was married to Hansika's brother, Prashant Motwani, in December 2020. Their marriage ended in separation by December 2022. Muskan has alleged cruelty and harassment by Hansika and her mother.
Hansika and Jyoti were granted anticipatory bail in February 2025 by a Mumbai sessions court. Seeking relief from the criminal case, they have now approached the High Court to quash the FIR, arguing that the allegations are false and driven by ulterior motives.
Hansika, through her advocates Drishti Khurana and Adnan Shaikh, has contended that she has been implicated in the case solely due to her familial connection with Prashant. She asserts that the allegations are baseless and exaggerated to exert pressure on the Motwani family.
"The FIR appears to be a retaliatory measure aimed at pressuring the Motwani family into a financial settlement in the ongoing matrimonial dispute,"
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Further, the petition claims that the FIR was strategically filed after Muskan refused to agree to a mutual divorce, highlighting how criminal proceedings are being misused as leverage in matrimonial disputes.
The matter is now pending before the Bombay High Court, with the next hearing scheduled for July 3, 2025. The outcome of the case will determine whether the court finds merit in the petitioners' claims and grants relief by quashing the FIR.
