Leander Paes Guilty of Domestic Violence

Eight years after the case was filed by Rhea Pillai causing a sensation, the court has found Leander Paes guilty. (Photo Instagram)

MUMBAI – A metropolitan magistrate court here has found in a domestic violence case filed by model-actor Rhea Pillai against her former partner, tennis player Leander Paes, that he committed various acts of domestic violence against her.

The court also directed Paes to pay an additional amount of Rs 1 lakh towards legal cost and expenses, while continuing to take care of expenses of their daughter. There would be an additional increase of 5% every year, from the month of March 2023, so that Pillai “shall not be compelled to knock on the doors of court again and again for enhancement of the amount of maintenance and house rent to meet the inflation, till the date up to which the said order remains in force,” said the court.

Pillai had sued in 2014 seeking relief and protection under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, saying she was in a live-in relationship, akin to marriage, with Paes for eight years.

She had said that Paes, through his acts and conduct “caused verbal, emotional and economic abuse, which resulted in tremendous emotional violence and trauma.”

The court said, “It is proved that the respondent caused various acts of domestic violence.”

Directing Paes to pay a monthly rent of Rs 50,000, apart from a monthly maintenance of Rs 1 lakh to Pillai, the court, however, said if she chose to continue living in their Bandra residence she would not be entitled to monetary relief. It rejected prayers of Pillai seeking payment of past maintenance and partition of their shared residence.

The magistrate said that with Paes’ career in tennis ‘almost over’, it would cause ‘serious prejudice’ to order him to live in a rented home while also paying maintenance to Pillai.