Court dismisses actress Priyadarshini’s domestic violence case against Anubhav Mohanty

CUTTACK: The court of Civil Judge (Junior Division), Cuttack, has dismissed popular Odia actor Varsha Priyadarshini’s domestic violence petition filed against former MP Anubhav Mohanty in 2020. Varsha had got married to Anubhav on February 8, 2014.

The actor-turned-politician filed divorce petition on July 16, 2020 on grounds of cruelty while contending that the marriage between the two had not been consummated. Then Varsha filed the petition under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act on September 7,2020. While the domestic violence case was pending, the Orissa High Court ordered the dissolution of their marriage by a decree of divorce on December 21, 2023.

In her petition, Varsha alleged that she was unable to lead a peaceful conjugal life owing to mental harassment and torture by Anubhav. On many occasions she was abused in vulgar language, beaten with hand and sticks, and kicked by Anubhav, she had also alleged.

While dismissing the petition for being “devoid of merit”, Civil Judge Jaya Ray on Friday said Varsha has failed to justify the reason for filing the present case. She had failed to establish any kind of ‘torture’ inflicted upon her by the respondent Anubhav Mohanty during her stay at her matrimonial home in order to substantiate the allegation of ‘domestic violence’ under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act.