A Delhi family court has directed Aesha Mukerji, the ex-wife of former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, to return Rs 5.7 crore (AU$894,397) she received from a disputed Australian property settlement, ruling that it was secured through fraud and threats, according to Bar and Bench.
Judge Devender Kumar Garg of the Patiala House Court found that Dhawan had been pressured into signing the agreement through extortion and trickery. The court also instructed Mukerji to pay an annual interest rate of 9% on the amount, starting from when Dhawan filed his case.
Additionally, the Delhi court blocked Mukerji from enforcing the Australian court’s orders from February 2024, which had divided the couple’s global assets, including Dhawan’s properties in India. According to the Australian court’s ruling, Mukerji had received 15% of the total asset pool, including Rs 7.46 crore (AU$1.17 million) in assets, an extra Rs 15.95 crore (AU$2.5 million) from Dhawan, and a property transfer.
From 2021 to 2024, the Australian court issued several rulings on the division of the couple’s assets. Dhawan contended that these decisions conflicted with Indian marriage laws and sought a legal declaration to exempt him from their enforcement.
Allegations of Coercion
Shikhar Dhawan informed the Patiala House Court that shortly after his marriage to Aesha Mukerji in 2012, she threatened to release false and harmful content aimed at damaging his reputation and career in cricket. He asserted that although he purchased properties with his own money, he was forced to register them either jointly or solely in her name.
In one particular case, the court heard that Mukerji was listed as the 99% owner of a property that Dhawan had acquired. After evaluating the evidence, Judge Garg supported Dhawan’s claims and ruled that he was not bound by the decisions made by the Australian court.
Divorce and Custody Battle
In 2023, a Delhi court granted Shikhar Dhawan and Aesha Mukerji a divorce, citing Dhawan’s mental distress due to prolonged separation from his son, Zoravar. The court noted that Mukerji either chose not to challenge these claims or did not provide an adequate response.
While Dhawan was not awarded permanent custody, he was granted visitation rights and the ability to have video calls with his son both in India and Australia, where Mukerji resides. Dhawan later stated that he was blocked from all communication with Zoravar.
Dhawan went on to marry Sophie Shine in a private ceremony on February 22, 2025.
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