Mumbai, March 20: A family court in Bandra on Thursday granted cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and his estranged wife Dhanashree Verma a divorce by mutual consent. The couple, who married in December 2020, separated in June 2022.
Chahal’s advocate, Nitin Gupta, confirmed the court’s decision, stating, “The family court has granted the decree on the joint petition filed by Chahal and Verma.”
The Bombay High Court had intervened on Wednesday, directing the family court to decide the plea by Thursday, considering Chahal’s participation in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament. The T20 league starts on March 22, with Chahal representing Punjab Kings.
The HC also waived the mandatory six-month cooling-off period under the Hindu Marriage Act, which is usually required before granting divorce. The couple had filed a joint petition seeking its waiver, arguing that they had already been separated for over 18 months.
The family court had initially refused to waive the cooling-off period, citing partial compliance with the consent terms. It noted that Chahal had only paid Rs 2.37 crore of the Rs 4.75 crore permanent alimony agreed upon. The court also referred to a marriage counsellor’s report highlighting incomplete compliance with mediation efforts.
However, the high court overruled the family court’s decision, stating that the consent terms allowed for the second installment of alimony to be paid only after the divorce decree was issued.
