Anita Advani's plea for marital recognition with Rajesh Khanna dismissed
What's the story
The Bombay High Court has dismissed actor Anita Advani's appeal seeking legal recognition of her relationship with late superstar Rajesh Khanna as a marriage. The decision was announced by Justice Sharmila Deshmukh on Wednesday, who rejected Advani's appeal challenging a Dindoshi civil court order that had dismissed her suit on technical grounds in 2017.
Legal proceedings
HC dismisses appeal after hearing submissions
The High Court dismissed the appeal after hearing arguments from counsel for Advani and lawyers representing Dimple Kapadia, Akshay Kumar, and Twinkle Khanna. "First appeal is dismissed," the court said. The legal dispute is part of a long-running series of proceedings between Advani and Kapadia since Khanna died in 2012.
Dispute details
Legal battle over relationship status
Advani had claimed that she was in a relationship with Khanna that was like marriage and sought recognition of this status through civil proceedings. The matter is also linked to earlier litigation after Advani alleged she was evicted from Khanna's bungalow Aashirwad following his death. In a separate development, Advani had filed a criminal complaint against Kapadia, Kumar, and Khanna for domestic violence before a Bandra Magistrate's court.
Past ruling
Earlier ruling on domestic violence proceedings
In 2015, a coordinate bench of the Bombay High Court quashed the proceedings against Kapadia, Kumar, and Khanna. The court ruled that Advani's relationship with Khanna did not qualify as a relationship in the nature of marriage under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. The latest order is another development in the long-standing legal battle over claims related to Khanna's personal relationship status and associated rights.