New Delhi: In the wake of Yuzvendra Chahal’s participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, which starts from March 22, the Bombay High Court has directed the family court to decide the cricketer’s divorce case with her estranged wife Dhanashree Verma by March 20. Single-judge Justice Madhav Jamdar ordered the Bandra Magistrate Court to speed up the process, considering Chahal’s cricketing commitments.
Chahal and Dhanashree filed a divorce petition in the family court on February 5, seeking divorce by mutual consent. It is understood that both parties didn’t want to undertake the six-month cooling-off period, but the family court refused to waive it on February 20. According to several media reports, the couple has been living apart since June 2022, having gotten married in 2020.
“As the petitioner No 1 (Chahal) is a participant of IPL, the advocate informs that he may not be available post March 21. The family court is hence requested to decide their divorce plea by tomorrow (March 20),” HC said on Wednesday.
Cooling-off period
The two parties had subsequently filed a joint plea in the High Court, challenging the family court’s decision regarding the cooling-off period. For those unversed, under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act, there’s a mandatory six-month cooling-off period before granting a divorce. The intention behind this is to explore the possibility of reconciliation. However, it can be waived where there’s no scope of settlement.
Therefore, Justice Jamdar waived the cooling-off period, considering that the couple has been living separately for more than two and a half years and that the consent terms have been agreed upon, particularly concerning alimony payment, and all complied with.
Chahal to pay Rs. 4.75 cr alimony
Reports claim that Chahal was asked to pay a total amount of Rs. 4.75 crore as alimony to Dhanashree, to which he agreed. The court cited partial compliance with the consent terms. The Haryana cricketer has paid Rs. 2.37 crore as of now, the court noted. The remainder of the alimony amount (second installment) shall only be paid after the divorce is granted.
Ever since the couple stopped posting each other on their respective social media handles, speculations about strain in their relationship were rife. Earlier this year, there were rumours about Dhanashree, a dancer by profession, demanding Rs. 60 crore as alimony from Chahal but her family denied this, terming the claims baseless.
Only a few days back, when India took on New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai, Chahal was seen in the stands, sitting beside RJ Mahvash. This further fuelled speculations that Chahal was dating the radio jockey, as his divorce proceedings were already underway. In the IPL 2025, Chahal will play for Punjab Kings (PBKS) and is currently in Chandigarh for training.
As per several media reports, Yuzvendra Chahal agreed to pay a sum of Rs. 4.75 crore as alimony to his estranged wife Dhanashree Verma as both parties sought divorce with mutually wanting the cooling-off period to be waived. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
