Celina Jaitly Breaks Silence on Abusive Marriage
Former Bollywood actress Celina Jaitly, who had largely disappeared from public view in recent years, has shocked fans and the entertainment industry by revealing she has filed a domestic violence case against her husband, Austrian businessman Peter Haag. Contrary to assumptions that she had happily retired from films to focus on married life abroad, Jaitly is now engaged in multiple legal battles for her rights and the custody of her children.
Legal Battles and Abuse Allegations
On Tuesday, Celina Jaitly officially filed her domestic violence case, with her lawyer Niharika Karanjawala detailing the serious allegations to News18. The divorce petition cites emotional abuse, verbal attacks, physical violence, manipulation, coercion, and financial control as the primary grounds for legal action.
Beyond the domestic violence case, Jaitly is simultaneously fighting several other legal matters. These include seeking assistance for her brother who she claims is illegally detained in the UAE, a property-related civil case in Mumbai, and responding to divorce proceedings that Peter Haag has initiated in Austria.
However, the actress's most pressing concern remains the custody of her children. Her lawyer revealed that the Austrian court has recently granted her telephonic access to her children for one hour daily, a significant development given that Peter had previously cut off all contact between Celina and their children for a considerable period.
Troubled Marriage from the Beginning
According to legal representatives, the marriage showed signs of trouble from its inception. Niharika Karanjawala stated that while there's no evidence of infidelity during the marriage itself, Celina discovered disturbing information shortly after their first set of twins were born. Peter Haag had apparently portrayed himself as single during their dating period while actually being in a live-in relationship with another woman.
The situation dramatically worsened in 2017 when three tragic events plunged Celina into deep depression. During her pregnancy with their second set of twins, she lost her father. Then, one of her newborns passed away due to hypoplastic left heart dysplasia. A few months later, her mother died from an aggressive form of cancer.
Financial Control and Isolation
Financial matters became another significant source of conflict in the marriage. Peter allegedly made Celina surrender all her credit and debit cards, giving him complete financial control. He reportedly used her savings to fund their lifestyle while refusing to discuss his own income, often flying into rages when questioned.
The lawyer revealed that Celina later discovered Peter had sold their jointly purchased property in Vienna without informing her. He consistently claimed they had no money, leading to frequent arguments. Niharika further alleged that Peter has been unemployed for several years and persuaded Celina to redirect rental income from her Mumbai property to his personal account.
The couple's movements across different countries were dictated entirely by Peter's career needs - starting in Mumbai, then Dubai, Singapore, back to Dubai, and finally to a secluded Alpine village in Austria. This isolation strategy became particularly effective after Celina's parents passed away, leaving her with limited support systems while caring for young children in a country where she barely spoke the language.
Escape and Legal Action
The situation reached a critical point when Celina discovered that Peter was keeping all her documentation and passport hidden. While searching for a quiet place to speak with her lawyer, she accidentally found where he had concealed these crucial documents. With the help of a neighbor, she immediately rushed back to India and approached the courts for justice.
Although Celina had returned to India multiple times over the years, Peter always convinced her to go back to Austria. She had even consulted an Austrian attorney to understand her legal options before finally traveling to India in the second week of October this year. In early November, she formally began her legal battle by approaching the team at Karanjawala & Co.
The case continues to develop as both parties prepare for what promises to be a complex international legal battle involving multiple jurisdictions and serious allegations of domestic abuse and financial misconduct.
