One of India’s sports personality, Leander Paes, has stepped in court to fight a legal battle against his partner Rhea Pillai seeking the custody of his daughter Aiyana.
Leander Paes has filed a petition in the Family Court in Bandra, seeking the custody of his daughter Aiyana, claiming he is concerned for her safety, welfare and wellbeing. Leander Paes has also sought an order restraining his long-time partner Rhea Pillai from taking their daughter out of Mumbai without the court’s permission.In his petition, Leander Paes has mentioned that that he and partner Rhea Pillai are not married since she did not believe in the institution of marriage.
Leander Paes first met Rhea Pillai, on a flight to Goa, where she invited his over to make a guest appearance at an Art Of Living show in Mumbai and after the separation of rhea from her then husband Sanjay Dutt, their relationship became more intimate. Leander Paes is very clear that he needs permanent custody of his daughter and has also requested the court to restrain Rhea Pillai from taking the minor child Aiyana out of the city of Mumbai without prior permission.
Rhea is ready to fight for Aiyana’s custody and will not let go so easily.
Rhea Pillai has also filed a police complaint against him. Pillai accused Paes of locking her out of her “own house”. According to reports, Pillai along with their daughter Aiyana went to a birthday party at Bollywood actress Rani Mukherjee’s house and while returning, she was barred from entering their apartment in Mumbai. She was allegedly stopped and abused by a group of people appointed by Paes outside the house. However, Paes lawyer overruled such allegations saying, “Pillai was trying to gain sympathy, through creating controversy and stop his parents from staying in the house and to take the custody of Aiyana”.
