Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and his wife, Dhanashree Verma, have officially parted ways after a court in Mumbai granted their divorce on Thursday. Advocate Nitin Kumar Gupta, representing Chahal, confirmed the development to ANI, stating that the court accepted the couple's joint petition for divorce.
“The court has granted the decree of divorce. The court has accepted the joint petition of both parties. The parties are no longer husband and wife,” Gupta said in a statement.
The estranged couple appeared before the family court in Bandra.
Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma living separately since June 2022
Chahal and Verma, who tied the knot in December 2020, had been living separately since June 2022. Earlier this year, on February 5, they moved the family court with a joint request for a mutual divorce. However, due to Chahal’s commitment to the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL)—where he is set to play for Punjab Kings—the Bombay High Court urged the family court to expedite the proceedings and issue a ruling before March 22, the start of the tournament.
HC overrules cooling-off period
As per the Hindu Marriage Act, couples seeking divorce by mutual consent are required to undergo a six-month cooling-off period to reconsider their decision. However, Chahal and Verma had approached the High Court seeking an exemption, arguing that they had been living separately for a significant period and had already finalized their terms.
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Initially, the family court had declined their request, citing incomplete compliance with the agreed-upon financial settlement. Chahal was supposed to pay Verma ₹4.75 crore as permanent alimony, but he had only transferred ₹2.37 crore at the time. Additionally, a marriage counselor’s report had noted that mediation efforts had only been partially successful.
However, the High Court overruled this decision, stating that the second installment of the payment was scheduled to be made only after the divorce decree was granted. With all legal conditions met, the court waived the mandatory waiting period and allowed the divorce to proceed.