Delhi HC dismisses Omar Abdullah's plea for divorce from estranged wife

Delhi High Court dismissed National Conference leader Omar Abdullah's plea for divorce from the estranged wife. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah sought divorce from his estranged wife Payal Abdullah on grounds that he was subjected to cruelty by her.  

Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed National Conference leader Omar Abdullah's plea for divorce from the estranged wife. The Delhi High Court denied Abdullah's request, ruling that his appeal lacked substance.

A bench of Justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and Vikas Mahajan upheld an order of the trial court which had also refused to grant divorce to the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.

The high court said there was no merit in the appeal filed by the NC leader challenging the trial court's 2016 verdict. He sought divorce from estranged wife Payal Abdullah on grounds that he was subjected to cruelty by her.

“No infirmity in the order of the family court. Allegations of cruelty were vague. We find no merit in the appeal & the appeal is dismissed,” a bench of justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and justice Vikas Mahajan.

Earlier on August 30, 2016, the trial court had dismissed Abdullah's plea seeking divorce. The trial court ruled that Abdullah was unable to substantiate his allegations of "cruelty" or "desertion," which he claimed were grounds for a divorce judgement.

Previously, the Delhi high court had directed the National Conference leader to pay Rs 1.5 lakh to Payal every month as interim maintenance. It also directed him to pay Rs 60,000 each for the education of his two sons every month.

The court’s order came on petitions by Payal and the couple’s sons against 2018 lower court orders granting them interim maintenance of Rs 75,000 and Rs 25,000, respectively, till the boys attained the age of majority. 

Omar Abdullah had submitted before the high court that he was discharging his duty of maintaining the children and his wife was consistently misrepresenting her actual financial position.