Anubhav-Varsha marital discord: MP skips counselling once again

Bhubaneswar: MP and actor Anubhav Mohanty once again skipped appearance for counselling in a domestic violence case filed against him by his wife and actress Varsha Priyadarshini at the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Court in Cuttack.

Though Varsha and her lawyer appeared at the mediation centre on the court premises yesterday, Anubhav was absent. He had earlier done the same on January 22.

The next date for the counselling has been fixed on April 16.

Worth mentioning, the SDJM Court has appointed lawyer 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.

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 torturing her physically and mentally.

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.

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.