In a significant legal development, the Family Court in Mumbai has officially granted a divorce to Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and his now former wife, Dhanashree Verma, on Thursday. The announcement followed closely on the heels of a directive from the Bombay High Court, which ordered the family court to expedite the decision due to Chahal’s upcoming commitments in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Representatives from both parties, Nitin Gupta for Chahal and Aditi Mohoni for Verma, confirmed the court’s decision. The settlement includes a substantial alimony payment, requiring Chahal to pay Verma ₹4.75 crores in two installments.
This legal resolution comes after the Bombay High Court intervened to waive the customary six-month cooling-off period outlined in Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act, citing the couple’s prolonged separation exceeding two and a half years and adherence to consent terms achieved during mediation concerning the alimony payments.
The now dissolved marriage between Chahal, a prominent spinner for the Kings XI Punjab, and Verma began in December 2020 and saw a separation by June 2022. The couple had jointly petitioned for a divorce on mutual consent earlier this year, seeking also to bypass the mandated cooling-off period aimed at providing couples a chance to reconcile.
In a twist of legal proceedings earlier this month, the family court initially declined to waive the cooling-off period, noting only partial compliance with the agreed consent terms, as Chahal had at that time paid only half of the required alimony. However, the Bombay High Court later disagreed with this finding, pointing out that the remaining alimony was scheduled post-divorce as per the terms.
With this legal hurdle now cleared, Chahal is expected to join his IPL team for the upcoming season starting March 22. The closure of this chapter allows both individuals to move forward with their professional and personal lives independently.
