Actor Hansika Motwani has filed an INR 2 crore defamation lawsuit against her estranged sister-in-law, television actor Muskan Nancy James. The legal action, moved in a Mumbai sessions court, comes in response to allegations of domestic violence and harassment levelled by James against Motwani and her brother, Prashant. Hansika Motwani To Be Tried for Cruelty in Domestic Abuse Case Filed by Sister-in-Law Muskan Nancy James? Here’s What We Know.

Hansika Motwani Sues Ex-Sister-In-Law Muskan Nancy James

According to reports from NDTV and other media outlets, Motwani’s petition seeks financial damages for what she describes as a "calculated attempt" to tarnish her public image. In addition to the compensation, the actress has requested a court order to restrain James from making further derogatory statements on social media and is demanding a public apology.

The legal battle stems from an FIR previously filed by James, in which she accused Hansika, Prashant, and their mother of mental cruelty and harassment. Hansika has categorically denied these claims, maintaining that she had minimal involvement in her brother’s marriage and has lived separately since her own wedding in 2022.

Loan Dispute and Counter Allegations

In her filing, Motwani alleges that the domestic violence accusations were fabricated as a retaliatory tactic. The actress claims that James borrowed INR 27 lakh during her marriage to Prashant but failed to repay the amount despite repeated requests.

The petition suggests that the defamatory social media posts were a strategy to avoid the settlement of this debt. Motwani’s legal team argued that James, who has appeared in shows like Mata Ki Chowki, projected a "lavish lifestyle" online while refusing to clear her financial dues.

The dispute has already seen multiple legal turns. Before the civil defamation suit, Motwani approached the Bombay High Court to quash the initial FIR filed by James. She has also lodged a separate criminal defamation case in an Andheri magistrate's court. James had previously claimed that the stress of the marital dispute led her to develop Bell’s Palsy, a condition causing partial facial paralysis. However, Motwani asserts that she was largely unaware of the couple’s personal disputes until their relationship deteriorated. Hansika Motwani Shares Cryptic Post on Social Media Days After Separation From Sohael Khaturiya.

The civil case is expected to be heard before the Dindoshi sessions court. Both parties have been living separately since 2022, and divorce proceedings between Prashant Motwani and Muskan Nancy James are reportedly underway.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 11, 2026 02:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).