Actor Celina Jaitly shared an emotional note on social media this Mother’s Day, opening up about her ongoing custody battle and the pain of being separated from her children.
Taking to Instagram, the actress posted a video, revealing the emotional turmoil she has endured in recent months. Speaking about her decision to leave Austria, Celina wrote, “#mothersday I have no option but to share these videos. I lost my children the day I chose to leave Austria to protect my dignity, my children, & my brother. In the early hours of the morning, with the help of neighbours, I quietly escaped what I had experienced as systematic oppression, isolation, emotional abuse, humiliation & fear.”
She further alleged that her efforts to seek legal recourse in India had led to further separation from her children. “Because I filed legal proceedings in India to access the only roof above my head, my own home, purchased with my own money in 2004, & because I sought legal help for my brother detained in the Middle East, my children were blocked from speaking with me. Despite joint custody arrangements & subsisting orders of the Austrian Family Court, I am presently denied communication with my 3 children,” she stated.
In another shocking claim, Celina alleged that her children had been moved without her knowledge and were being influenced against her. “My children have been moved to an undisclosed location & are being brainwashed & radicalised against their own mother & her faith in Hinduism by my husband & his father. 2 weeks ago, during my divorce hearings in Austria, I stood outside my own home… broken… remembering the love, devotion, sacrifices & unconditional care with which I raised my family. Despite undertakings before the court, my children were not brought back,” she wrote.
The actress also reflected on the heartbreaking loss of her son, Shamsher, and the emotional toll her marriage and separation have taken on her. “The only child I got to hold… was my departed angel, Shamsher. In early September, I was served divorce papers under the pretext of receiving what I believed was a gift for our 15th wedding anniversary. Thereafter, despite years of abuse I repeatedly,, sought an amicable separation, prioritizing only the welfare of our children. Those efforts were met with demands relating to my premarital assets, coercion, intimidation, & attempts to strip me of my freedom, dignity & independence.”
Concluding her note, Celina said she is now preparing to fight for justice and reunite with her children. “All I ever asked for… was my children… & what I myself contributed to this marriage, my own hard earned money, my own assets, my own sacrifices. Everything was taken from me over 15 years of marriage. Today, I am left with a broken heart… & a place beside my departed son’s grave where I cry, pray & gather strength. This… is Mother’s Day for me. But I am the daughter of Maa Mahalalitha Ambika, Maa Kali, & Maa Durga. I now return to India to fight for my children, my dignity, truth & justice,” she concluded.
FIR Filed Against Husband
According to reports, the FIR was registered at Versova Police Station on Friday under Sections 85, 115(2), 351(2), and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The complaint includes allegations of cruelty, physical harm, criminal intimidation, and continued harassment. The case comes alongside ongoing proceedings under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.
Reports also state that a Look Out Circular (LOC) has been issued against Peter Haag due to his alleged non-cooperation in the investigation.
Last year, Celina had approached the Judicial Magistrate First Class court in Andheri under Section 23 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, seeking interim and ex parte relief.
The actress married Peter Haag on September 18, 2010, in Mumbai in the presence of close friends and family members. Their marriage was later registered under Austrian civil law on September 22. The couple has three children – Viraaj, Winston, and Arthur.
