The Supreme Court directed the family court of Bandra (Mumbai) to complete the domestic violence case against tennis star Leander Paes within three months from yesterday.This matter of domestic violence against the tennis star has been filed by her alienated live-in partner Rhea Pillai.
The couple is presently facing a matrimonial dispute. Earlier the Apex Court had directed the family court in Bandra to finish the trial in six months on 18th July, last year.
This order of extending the time for completing the trial was given by the bench of Hon’ble.Justices AK Goel and UU Lalit. They were listening to the representation on the behalf of trial judge of Bandra family court for extending the time period of six months for further three months.
The Supreme Court clarified that they were only concerned with the matter of extending the time period for trial and not with the preliminary issues of the matrimonial dispute. The court ordered the trial court to expediate the proceedings and complete the trial within three months from the date of this order.
The dispute between Leander Paes and Rhea Pillai has been going on form a long period now with its inception in the year, 2013. The Apex Court directed the parties to appear before the court on next dates of proceedings to complete the trial as soon as possible.
In May, 2017 last year the lawyers representing both the sides had informed a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra that both sides after several rounds of sitting together to a mutual settlement, were not able to do so.
The dispute is related to a demand by Leander’s wife for a house from him for their daughter to which Leander’s counsel’s have opposed by saying that Rhea has already got a house from his former husband and actor Sanjay Dutt and the fact that the live-in relationship between Leander and Rhea did not gave Rhea matrimonial rights.
The Supreme Court while listening to this contention said that they cannot force the parties for settlement. They said that best efforts for persuading the parties for a in-house settlement were made, but no results were obtained from the same.
The bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra had transferred the matter to the family court bench of Bandra for passing an appropriate order. The apex court before doing so had tried it’s level best to settle the dispute between the couple who had a daughter together passively through mediation.
The trail had resumed after the mediation efforts in the Apex Court had failed. After that the Supreme Court had ordered on July 18 last year that the trial be resumed and completed within six months and now has given an extension of three months on the demand of trial Court judge to complete the trial.