Bombay HC Dismisses Anita Advani's Plea Seeking Recognition Of Marriage With Rajesh Khanna

 

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea filed by actor Anita Advani seeking recognition of her alleged marriage with late Bollywood superstar Rajesh Khanna as a marriage. A single bench of Justice Sharmila Deshmukh dismissed the appeal filed by Advani challenging an order passed by the Dindoshi sessions court in Mumbai in 2017, rejecting her civil suit seeking similar relief after Khanna's death in July 2012.

 

Advani had challenged the earlier verdict, while Rajesh Khanna’s wife Dimple Kapadia, daughter Twinkle Khanna and son-in-law Akshay Kumar opposed the plea. The High Court observed that Rajesh Khanna was legally married to Dimple Kapadia and the marriage had not been dissolved. It held that any relationship entered into during the subsistence of a valid marriage cannot be considered “in the nature of marriage” under the law.

 

The court further noted that Advani had not lived in the same household as Dimple Kapadia and her family, and therefore, proceedings under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act were not applicable in the case. It also clarified that not all live-in relationships qualify as relationships akin to marriage.

 

With this ruling, the High Court quashed Advani’s domestic violence plea and held that she has no legal right to claim a share in Rajesh Khanna’s property or seek maintenance. The dispute dates back to 2012 when Advani filed a complaint alleging domestic violence against Dimple Kapadia, Twinkle Khanna and Akshay Kumar, claiming she was evicted from Rajesh Khanna’s bungalow ‘Aashirwad’ after his death.