Court Dismisses Domestic Violence Complaint Against Actor Anubhav Mohanty

Bhubaneswar: In a major relief for Ollywood actor and former MP Anubhav Mohanty, a court in Odisha’s Cuttack district has dismissed a domestic violence complaint filed against him by his former wife and actress Varsha Priyadarshini.

The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court in Cuttack also rejected Varsha’s plea seeking maintenance and other reliefs. The court observed that the allegations made by Varsha under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, were vague, contradictory, and lacked credible evidence.

According to the court’s findings, Varsha failed to establish any specific instance of domestic violence as defined under Section 3 of the Act. It noted that the allegations of mental and physical torture were not supported by any concrete incidents.

Varsha had filed the complaint in 2020, seeking protection orders, monetary relief, and compensation amounting to ₹13 crore under Sections 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, and 23 of the Domestic Violence Act. She had accused Anubhav and his family of mentally and physically abusing her, depriving her of basic necessities, and financially exploiting her by withholding her film remuneration.

However, the court found that Varsha could not produce proof to support her claims, including the allegation that Anubhav and his family withheld ₹20 lakh she had allegedly earned from a film project.

The court also referred to an earlier judgment by the Orissa High Court, which granted divorce to the couple on the ground that their marriage had never been consummated. Citing Supreme Court precedents, the JMFC court ruled that maintenance may be denied to a spouse who is financially independent, and thus rejected Varsha’s maintenance plea as well.

This verdict brings an end to the domestic violence case that had been pending for nearly four years.