Mumbai Court Allows Leander Paes' Petition In Domestic Violence Case

A sessions court in Mumbai on Monday allowed tennis legend Leander Paes' plea for "condonation of delay" in filing an appeal against a magistrate court's order in a domestic violence case filed by his former live-in partner Rhea Pillai.

Mr Paes' plea was allowed by Additional Sessions Judge RK Kshirsagar subject to payment of Rs 20,000 within a month.

Condonation of delay refers to an exception in which courts or other bodies cannot reject appeals filed by a party on the grounds that there is a delay in filing the suit.

In February last year, the magistrate court held that Leander Paes had committed various acts of domestic violence against Ms Pillai and directed him to pay her Rs 1 lakh as monthly maintenance.

Earlier, the court also directed Mr Paes to pay Rs 50,000 as monthly rent to Ms Pillai on the condition that she would leave his flat in the Carter Road area in Mumbai's Bandra West within two months.

In November last year, Leander Paes moved an application before the sessions court in Mumbai seeking the quashing of and setting aside of the lower court's order.

He had also moved an application for condonation of delay in filing the appeal to the Bandra Metropolitan magistrate court's order passed on February 11, 2022, in the domestic violence case filed by Rhea Pillai.

Ms Pillai had opposed his plea saying it was "devoid of any substantial and genuine grounds" to justify the seven-month delay in filing an appeal.

The statutory period for filing an appeal is 30 days under Section 29 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005.