Anubhav-Varsha marital discord: Actor-turned-politician fails to appear before court

Cuttack: Parliamentarian Anubhav Mohanty skipped appearance for counselling in a domestic violence case filed by his actress wife Varsha Priyadarshini at the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Court in Cuttack.

The court had directed the actor-turned-politician to appear before the mediator yesterday to end the discord with his wife.

As per schedule, Ollywood actress Varsha Priyadarshini reached the mediation centre on premises of the SDJM Court on Friday for discussion with the counseller appointed by the court. However, Anubhav did not come for counselling following which his counsel filed a petition at the mediation centre seeking time.

In the petition, Anubhav’s lawyer mentioned that the Lok Sabha member was in Delhi for which he remained absent at the mediation centre of the court.

While the next hearing the case was fixed for February 23, the court asked the estranged couple for appearance at the mediation centre on the scheduled date.

Worth mentioning that the SDJM Court, Cuttack, has appointed advocate Smitaranjan Patnaik as the counsellor/mediator to resolve the case through counselling.

A report will be submitted before the court after recording statement of both Anubhav and Varsha in the case.

On December 18 last year, Anubhav had made his stand before the court through his counsel over the allegations leveled against him by his wife.

Varsha had filed a case under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act at the SDJM Court on August 7, 2020, accusing Anubhav of physical and mental torture. A month before the case, the Kendrapara MP had filed a petition in the Patiala House Court seeking divorce from her on July 6, 2020. The marital discord between Ollywood’s power couple came to fore later in September last year.

The Patiala House Court had issued a notice to Varsha asking her to depose before it on December 10, 2020, in connection with the divorce case.

However, the Supreme Court of India on October 16, 2020, stayed the divorce petition after Varsha moved to the apex court seeking transfer of the case from Delhi to the Family Court in Cuttack. The court asked the counsels of both the parties to settle the case amicably.