Delhi Court Flags Extortion! Orders Shikhar Dhawan’s Ex-Wife Aesha Mukherji to Refund Rs 5.7 Crore

In a significant legal victory that clarifies the standing of foreign matrimonial orders in India, a Delhi Family Court has directed Aesha Mukerji, the former wife of cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, to return approximately Rs 5.7 crore (AU $894,397). The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, February 25, comes just days after the veteran opener began a new chapter in his personal life by marrying Sophie Shine.

The dispute centered on a “Property Settlement” order previously passed by an Australian court, which required Dhawan to transfer a substantial portion of his global assets to Mukerji. However, Judge Devender Kumar Garg of the Patiala House Court ruled that the Australian court’s approach was inconsistent with Indian matrimonial statutes, including the Hindu Marriage Act. The court held that the concept of a “marital pool” of assets—where a spouse can claim up to 60% of a partner’s total properties—is “alien” to the Indian legal system.

Crucially, the court accepted Dhawan’s contention that he had been coerced into signing financial agreements and property documents under duress. Dhawan alleged that shortly after their 2012 marriage, Mukerji threatened to tarnish his international reputation and ruin his cricket career by circulating “fabricated and defamatory” material if he did not comply with her financial demands. The court heard that Dhawan was even pressured into registering properties he purchased with his own funds in joint names, with Mukerji listed as a 99% owner in one instance.

“The documents executed by the plaintiff (Dhawan) were null and void as they were executed under threats, extortion, and trickery,” the court observed. Consequently, Mukerji was ordered to refund ₹5.72 crore, which includes proceeds from the sale of Australian properties. The court also directed her to pay 9% annual interest on the amount from the date the suit was filed.

This ruling follows a 2023 divorce decree granted to Dhawan on the grounds of “mental cruelty.” With this latest financial restitution, the former India captain secures a major reprieve in a long-standing cross-border legal battle.