Shikhar Dhawan granted divorce on grounds of cruelty, wife Aesha Mukerji fails to contest claim on properties

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Shikhar Dhawan was granted divorce by a Delhi court on grounds of cruelty by wife Aesha Mukerji on Wednesday, October 4. Bar and Bench judge Harish Kumar accepted all the allegations made by Dhawan against Mukerji who lives in Australia.

The court found Aesha guilty for subjecting the star India cricketer to mental agony by compelling him to live separately from his son Zoravar for years. The court accepted the allegations from Shikhar Dhawan on the ground that Mukherji either didn't contest them or failed to defend herself.

However, the court did not pass an order on the permanent custody of the son. But in a major relief for the 37-year-old, he can visit him for a certain duration, including overnight stay with him. The southpaw can also chat with Zoravar on video calls.

The Delhi court also directed Mukerji to bring the child to India for visitation purposes for at least half the period of the school vacation.

Dhawan in his petition has said that Mukerji initially assured the cricketer of setting up a matrimonial home in India after marriage. However, she failed to do so given her commitments to ex-husband and two daughters she has with him in Australia.

Further, the court also took into account Shikhar Dhawan's contention that his wife compelled him to make her the 99% owner of three properties bought in Australia using his money. She also coerced him to become a joint owner in other properties.

Court found Mukerji failed to contest this claim along with other allegations.

"Hence, it stands proved that the wife backtracked from her assurance of setting up matrimonial home in India after marriage and thus made him suffer a long distance marriage and suffer immense agony and anguish of living separately from his own son for years," the court order said.