In an unusual instance reported, a family court in Nagpur granted divorce to a couple after recording the wife’s consent via a WhatsApp video call.
The couple, originally from Nagpur, lived in Michigan in the US since 2013. Since 2017, a dispute has been cropped up between the husband and wife. The two then began living separately in America. In the meantime, the husband returned to India and filed his divorce application in the Family Court of Nagpur.
The wife living in America was ready for the divorce. However, she expressed her inability to attend the hearing as she was studying in Michigan, United States of America, on a student visa, and wasn’t permitted to seek long leave.
Therefore, a consent letter for divorce was prepared by the couple. The husband had prepared the necessary judicial documents for divorce in Nagpur. Then the wife prepared her papers in Michigan and sent them to Nagpur.
After seeking consent from both sides, Nagpur Family Court Judge Swati Chauhan allowed their separation on the condition that the husband would pay the woman a lump-sum one-time alimony of Rs 10 lakh. The divorce was finalised on January 14, this year.
The family court had obtained the wife’s consent via a WhatsApp video call on the directives of the court.
