Mumbai: Amid the ongoing family dispute, actor and former beauty queen Celina Jaitly has strongly responded to the legal threats issued by her father-in-law, and husband Peter Haag.
Refusing to back down, Celina said she would not be intimidated or silenced, setting the stage for an escalation in the confrontation.
Her statement comes after Haag reportedly warned of legal action over allegations she had made.
Addressing the legal notices, Celina wrote, “In my view, these notices are an attempt to divert attention from police complaints, lookout notices, allegations of violence, documented evidence before the competent authorities, and matters pending before the courts.”
“Speaking about my lived experiences and pursuing lawful remedies is not defamation,” she claimed.
“For years, publicity involving our family was actively embraced, including Peter’s participation in magazine covers, interviews, and articles featuring our children and me, until it suited his interests.”
Questioning what she described as a selective objection to public scrutiny, Celina said: “It is therefore ironic that when I began speaking about my o
wn experiences, legal battles, concerns as a mother, and pursuit of justice, I was met with legal notices instead of answers.”
She made the point that her fight also concerns her role as a mother. “Consistent efforts are being made to remove me from my role as my children’s mother. My public appeals arose from concerns about my children’s removal from the marital residence and the possibility of them being moved outside the jurisdiction of the Austrian and Indian courts without my knowledge or consent.”
“As a mother seeking joint custody, I believe it is both my right and responsibility to raise those concerns.”
Opening up about the pressure she experienced while living in Austria, she said, “I have long felt subjected to pressure, intimidation, and attacks on my rights while living in a remote Austrian village, specifically as a woman who lost both her parents.”
She alleged there was a coordinated attempt to discredit her after she approached the courts.
“The image of a 50-year-old man and his 75-year-old father (recently in his third marriage) joining forces to issue legal threats against a woman without anyone to turn to — after she gathered the courage to contend with years of abuse and the forced transfer of her premarital assets, just at the moment she sought relief before competent courts — speaks for itself.”
“All evidence has been placed before competent authorities and honourable courts across jurisdictions. What appears to trouble some is not that I have spoken, but that I have refused to remain silent.”
She concluded, “I will not be intimidated into silence for speaking about my experiences or seeking the legal remedies available to me. I am fighting with evidence and have full faith in the judicial systems of India and Austria.”