Delhi High Court Dismisses Omar Abdullah’s Request for Divorce from Estranged Wife

NEW DELHI, Dec 12:  The Delhi High Court dismissed National Conference leader Omar Abdullah’s appeal for divorce from his estranged wife, affirming the trial court’s decision that also denied him a divorce. Justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and Vikas Mahajan upheld the trial court’s 2016 verdict, stating that there was no merit in Abdullah’s appeal. The high court found no infirmity in the family court’s view that the allegations of cruelty were vague and unacceptable, and Abdullah failed to prove any act that could be considered cruelty, whether physical or mental. Abdullah had sought a divorce on the grounds of cruelty experienced from his estranged wife, Payal Abdullah. The trial court, on August 30, 2016, had rejected Abdullah’s plea for divorce, citing the failure to substantiate claims of “cruelty” or “desertion.”