Hansika Motwani’s plea to quash FIR rejected, trial to proceed in sister-in-law’s cruelty complaint

Actor Hansika Motwani and her mother, Jyoti (also known as Mona), will now face trial after the Bombay High Court rejected their plea seeking to quash an FIR filed by Hansika’s estranged sister-in-law, actor Muskan Nancy James.

The FIR, lodged in December last year, accuses Hansika and Jyoti under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 498A (dowry-related cruelty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 352 (criminal intimidation). Nancy alleged that harassment from her in-laws caused her emotional and physical distress, and she even claimed the stress triggered Bell’s palsy.

A source close to the matter recalled, “Nancy and Prashant Motwani, Hansika’s brother, had a lavish wedding in March 2021. But their marriage soon ran into problems, and within a year they started living separately.” Nancy’s complaint mentions alleged demands for expensive gifts and money, interference in her marriage by Hansika and Jyoti, and pressure to sell her flat.

Earlier this year, Hansika and her mother had secured anticipatory bail from a sessions court in Mumbai. In April, they approached the High Court to quash the FIR, with Hansika stating she was shocked to see her name in the case. However, the court dismissed their petition this week, clearing the path for a full trial.

The case adds to personal challenges for Hansika, who is also facing speculation about her marriage with businessman Sohael Khaturiya. Reports suggest the two have been living separately just two years after their wedding. Their marriage had drawn attention as Sohael was earlier married to Rinky Bajaj, who was once close friends with Hansika. Addressing the chatter, both Hansika and Sohael had clarified that they had known each other for many years as he was a friend of her brother.

With the High Court’s decision, Hansika and her mother will have to defend themselves in court as Nancy James pursues her charges. The trial is expected to bring further focus on the long-running discord between the two families.