Actor and former Miss India Celina Jaitly has spoken out about what she describes as a painful and deeply distressing breakdown of her marriage to Peter Haag, as legal battles now unfold in both India and Austria.
She filed for divorce in November last year at an Andheri court in Mumbai, citing domestic violence and abuse, bringing a private family struggle into the public eye.
In a deeply emotional statement Celina took to her Instagram and shared her account of losing access to her three children after leaving Austria in what she describes as an effort to protect her dignity, safety and sense of self.
She also mentioned about a particularly hurtful episode in which Peter Haag allegedly served her divorce papers under the guise of a wedding anniversary gift.
Celina continued, " This is for all the men & women who reached out with their stories of abusive marriages. You are not alone.
11 Oct 2025, at 1 AM, I left Austria with the assistance of neighbours to escape what I had experienced as systematic oppression & abuse. I was compelled to return to India with only a minimal sum of money in my bank account to navigate the rest of my life.
In India, I had to approach the court simply to enter & access my own house, a property purchased by me in 2004, long before my marriage, which my husband is now seeking to claim as his own. In order to do all this, I also had to take a big loan.
Despite joint custody & a subsisting order of the Austrian Family Court, I am presently DENIED ANY COMMUNICATION with my 3 children & I am heartbroken!
There has been repeated interference with my children’s access to me, including exposure to selective media narratives, resulting in obstruction of regular parent child communication, as well as brainwashing & intimidation to compel them to say things against me, a mother who has done nothing but care for them since the day they were born, moving from one country to another to support the career of their father.
In early Sept, I was served a divorce notice by my husband on the pretext of receiving a gift ordered for our 15th wedding anniversary at the local post office, to which I was driven by him.
THEREAFTER, I REPEATEDLY & LEGALLY SOUGHT AN AMICABLE SEPARATION IN GOOD FAITH, PRIORITIZING ONLY THE WELFARE OF THE CHILDREN. THESE EFFORTS WERE MET WITH DEMANDS RELATING TO MY PREMARITAL ASSETS & UNREASONABLE CONDITIONS INTENDED TO STRIP ME OF MY FREEDOM & DIGNITY EVEN AFTER DIVORCE.
Overnight, I was required to justify my role as a mother, as a parent, despite being their mother & the primary caregiver to my children. My entire world was snatched from me in one moment."
Recounting the moment, Celina Jaitly wrote: "In early Sept., I was served a divorce notice by my husband on the pretext of receiving a gift ordered for our 15th wedding anniversary at the local post office, to which I was driven by him."
According to Celina Jaitly’s lawyer, Peter Haag had already initiated divorce proceedings in an Austrian court last year. The legal move reportedly followed Celina Jaitly discovering that properties in Vienna were being sold without her knowledge.
In the Austrian case, Peter Haag is said to be attempting to establish that Celina Jaitly has no claim over the couple’s assets.
The lawyer further claimed that Peter Haag has placed the blame for the collapse of the marriage squarely on Celina Jaitly. She, on the other hand, had allegedly urged him to pursue a mutual-consent divorce in order to shield their children from prolonged conflict.
Reflecting this stance, Celina Jaitly reiterated in her post: "Thereafter, I repeatedly and legally sought an amicable separation in good faith, prioritizing only the welfare of the children."
Represented by Karanjawala & Co., Celina Jaitly has asked the Mumbai court for ₹10 lakh per month in maintenance and has sought restrictions preventing Peter Haag from entering her Mumbai home.
She has also requested custody of their children, who are currently living with Peter Haag in Austria, and has claimed ₹50 crore in damages for alleged loss of earnings.
In her petition, Celina Jaitly, 47, described Peter Haag, 48, as a “narcissistic” and “self-absorbed” individual who shows “no empathy” towards her or their children.
She also alleged that after becoming a mother, she was discouraged from working, a situation she says cost her both financial independence and personal dignity.
Celina Jaitly and Peter Haag married in 2010 and share a complex family history marked by both joy and tragedy.
They welcomed twin sons in 2012 and another set of twins five years later, one of whom sadly died due to a hypoplastic heart condition.
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