Dear friend,
What is happening with your friend's husband is unfortunate. Nevertheless, to provide solution we need little more information.
What is the meaning of ex-Manager? Has this ex-Manager resigned and is on notice period? Is it that this ex-Manager's department has been changed and now he is handing over to the husband of your friend? Why the ex-Manager is abrasive? Is he abrasive only towards friend's husband or he is irascible to all?
Whom the ex-Manager reports to? Why his seniors are silent?
We need to understand the psychology of the ex-Manager. Why is he behaving badly? Is there tacit approval for his behaviour by the top management? Is his long service being rewarded notwithstanding his poor interpersonal skills?
Since you say that your friend's husband has approached MD also but there is no reply from the top office. Therefore, at this stage, your friend's husband needs to generate evidence of the harsh behaviour. Let him do audio recording when the ex-Manager shouts. Normal shouting that happens at workplace cannot be considered as harassment as such however, if ex-Manager abuses then it can become harassment and he might lodge a police complaint. However, this option is fraught with the risks. Your friend's husband is new and he is yet to find feet in the new company. Incensed at the police complaint, they may remove him on some other pretext.
I doubt whether the ex-Manager can cause any physical harm. Logically it appears to be far-fetched. However, there is one more option also to solve this problem. Call me on my mobile and I will explain it on telephone.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar