Apex Court allows Odia actress Varsha Priyadarshini, BJD leader Anubhav Mohanty to transfer divorce case to Cuttack family court

The Supreme Court today in its order on Friday allowed the plea filed by Odia actress Varsha Priyadarshini and wife of actor turned Biju Janata Dal leader, Anubhav Mohanty, seeking a direction to transfer the divorce case from Patiala House Court to the family court in Cuttack in Odisha.

"This Court directs the transfer of the divorce case filed by the petitioner (Varsha) from Patiala House Court to the family court in Cuttack in Odisha," Justice Surya Kant, said, in his order today.

Priyadarshini had on September last year moved the Apex Court seeking a direction to transfer the divorce case hearing against her husband, Biju Janata Dal Member of Parliament (MP), Anubhav Mohanty, from Delhi to Cuttack family court in Odisha, citing grounds of travelling a long distance and covid-19 pandemic.

Varsha filed the transfer petition before the apex court seeking directions that the petition for divorce, filed by her husband, Anubhav Mohanty, before the Patiala House Court in New Delhi, be transferred to a family court in Cuttack in Odisha on grounds that it is difficult for her to travel a long distance to Delhi's Patiala House court to attend hearings.

Anubhav Mohanty and Varsha got married in 2014 February. Varsha had earlier moved a Cuttack family court in Odisha, seeking directions to Anubhav to give her a one-time compensation of around Rs 15 crores and monthly maintenance of around Rs 50,000.

On the other hand, Anubhav Mohanty had filed a petition before the Patiala House court in New Delhi, seeking a divorce from her on the ground that the marriage was not yet consummated.

Anubhav Mohanty had alleged that his wife was not allowing sexual relations with him and natural conjugal life and that he was disappointed after making serious attempts to establish physical intimacy with Varsha.

( With inputs from ANI )