The renowned Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has been granted divorce with her estranged wife from Delhi High Court on Wednesday. according to the sources, the petitioner (Shikhar Dhawan) is entitled to decree of divorce on the ground of cruelty.The family court judge Harish Kumar while dissolving their 11 years old wedlock said, “There is no dispute that both parties had agreed to take divorce by mutual consent and that their marriage is otherwise dead long ago and have not been living as husband and wife since August 8, 2020.”“Respondents/ estranged wife intentional decision to leave this matter uncontested also shows her desire that the court should pass decree of divorce even at the cost of holding her guilty of the matrimonial offence as she knows that no harm could be caused to her even if she is held to have treated the petitioner with cruelty because she has already obtained sufficient favourable orders from the Federal Circuit and Family Court in Australia,” the court said.“This thought of her has given her the courage to not abide by the order dated March 2, 2023 and June 6. 2023 of this court deliberately and intentionally. Hence, the facts and circumstances of the present case as discussed above petitioners are entitled to a decree of divorce on the grounds of cruelty,” Court added.Who will get the custody of Dhawans sonAccording to the sources, petitioner (Shikhar Dhawan) has also requested for the grant of permanent custody of his minor son submitting that it was morally, psychologically and mentally disastrous for the minor son to be with respondent who consistently acted detrimentally to his welfare right from his birth.Additionally, it has also been submitted that since a criminal case is pending against the respondent, said fact is an important factor weighing in favour of the petitioner.Reason for divorceIn addition to this, Shikar Dhawan through plea stated that he discovered post-marriage that the primary reason for the respondent to induce the petitioner into marrying her was merely to extort crores of rupees from him. Shortly after the marriage, the respondent threatened to fabricate defamatory and false material against the petitioner and circulate the same to destroy the reputation and cricketing career of the petitioner if he did not comply with her demands for money.“The petitioner bought three immovable properties in Australia from his own funds but was compelled by the respondent to make her the 99% owner in one property and joint owner in two properties. The respondent had taken a chunk of the net sale proceeds of one property and the entire net sale proceeds of the second property and was demanding that the title of the third property be transferred to her, “Shikhar Dhawan stated in his plea.
