Star cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has been granted a divorce from his estranged wife, Aesha Mukherji, on the grounds of mental cruelty. The Delhi family court, presided over by Judge Harish Kumar, accepted Dhawan’s allegations, as Aesha did not contest or defend herself.
The judgment highlighted that Shikhar Dhawan endured mental torture, leading to years of separation from his son. Although the court did not decide on permanent custody, it granted Dhawan the right to meet his son in India and Australia and communicate via video calls.
Dhawan’s plea revealed that Aesha had initially agreed to live with him in India but backed off due to a commitment to her ex-husband in Australia. Additionally, the court considered Dhawan’s claim that Aesha pressured him to transfer ownership of 99 percent of three properties in Australia, purchased with his own funds. She also compelled him to make her a joint owner of two other properties.
The court also found that Aesha had sent defamatory text messages against Shikhar Dhawan. Despite her defence, claiming that she sent the messages to only three people to ensure timely monthly maintenance, the court rejected her explanation. It concluded that the defamatory texts were sent to numerous individuals with the intent to pressure, defame, and humiliate Dhawan.
Additionally, the court acknowledged Aesha’s fight with Dhawan for taking his ailing father to the hospital during his battle with COVID-19.