Know your laws: Marrying an NRI? What happens when a couple files divorce abroad
India Today
A recent court ruling has spotlighted legal hurdles when couples marry in India but divorce overseas, raising questions on jurisdiction, property rights, and custody disputes.
The recent legal victory of ex-Team India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has once again brought into focus the complex world of cross-border matrimonial disputes. A Delhi court ordered his ex-wife to return over Rs 5.7 crore that she had received as a "property settlement" from a Family Court in Australia, where she resides with the children.
The Indian court held that the Australian order was contrary to the provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act -- the law under which the couple had married.
The case highlights a growing legal dilemma: what happens when couples who marry in India move abroad and later seek divorce?
In cross-border divorces, jurisdiction is not a technicality -- it is strategy.
As Advocate Tahini Bhushan puts it, "Jurisdiction is power. Where you're living when things fall apart literally shapes the entire outcome -- the grounds of divorce, maintenance, custody, even how fast the case moves".
Many Western countries such as the United States, Australia and Canada follow largely no-fault divorce systems. A marriage can be dissolved on grounds such as "irretrievable breakdown" without proving wrongdoing.
A Delhi court granted 10-day interim bail to activist Sharjeel Imam, an accused in the 2020 Delhi riots case. He walked out of jail on Friday after nearly six years in jail.
According to the police, the gang befriended individuals via a dating app called 'Grindr' and robbed them of cash, jewellery, and funds transferred through UPI. Since the first arrests on Monday, Lucknow Police have been tracking down other victims to dismantle the criminal network.
The police have taken Sohail Malik and Mehak (Sane Iram), the two masterminds, along with four others, into their custody.
A clip of devotees being pushed in the sanctum of Deoghar's Baidyanath Dham made BJP MP Nishikant Dubey slam the Hemant Soren government. However, it has triggered a larger debate on the treatment meted out to common people and the privilege given to VIPs.
The incident dates back to February 18, 2017, when Jitesh Kumar Gandhi attempted to withdraw Rs 10,000 from a State Bank of India ATM but received neither cash nor a transaction receipt. However, his account was debited.
The court imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Chhatrapal, while sentencing him to life imprisonment. The case underlined the importance of decisive eyewitness accounts like the mother's testimony in securing timely convictions.
The case relates to the killing of Umesh Kolhe on June 21, 2022, allegedly in retaliation for social media posts supporting former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma following her controversial remarks. Initially registered as a murder case, the investigation was later transferred to the NIA.
A pregnant woman was allegedly strangled by her husband following a monetary dispute in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district. Three family members have been arrested as police investigate the case.
Gurugram's Uppal Southend society publicly names maintenance defaulters and warns of service bans. The move boosts payments, with daily recoveries rising, even as residents remain divided over strict enforcement.
Maharashtra has formed an SIT led by IPS Tejaswini Satpute to probe sexual abuse allegations against Ashok Kharat, with an extortion link emerging and assets worth Rs 200 crore under scrutiny.
The three friends were part of a group of 12 people, all from Pune, who were returning from a Jammu and Leh-Ladakh trip. The remaining friends were in two other cars and were at a toll plaza at the time of the incident.
People in Duna village of Jharkhand's Latehar district blamed the man for the death of a woman in a road accident, alleging that he had caused it through sorcery.