SC stays proceedings against Anubhav Mohanty in ex-wife’s harassment case

The Supreme Court stayed criminal proceedings against former Odisha MP and actor Anubhav Mohanty in a harassment and mental cruelty case filed by ex-wife Varsha Priyadarshini. The court issued notices to the Odisha government and Priyadarshini and sought their responses

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Odisha government and actor-politician Anubhav Mohanty’s former wife, Varsha Priyadarshini, on a plea seeking quashing of criminal proceedings initiated against him over allegations of harassment and mental cruelty.

A Bench of Justices Sandeep Mehta and Vijay Bishnoi passed the order while hearing a special leave petition (SLP) filed by the former Odisha MP challenging the continuation of the criminal case arising out of a complaint lodged by his ex-wife.

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The apex court also stayed further proceedings in the matter and sought responses from the State of Odisha and Varsha Priyadarshini.

“Issue notice. In the meantime, further proceedings of GR Case No.1544/2020 arising out of FIR No.276/2020 shall remain stayed,” the Justice Mehta-led Bench ordered.

As per the computerised case status available on the Supreme Court website, the matter has been posted for further hearing on August 7.

Mohanty has sought the quashing of the criminal case registered on the basis of allegations made by his former wife, who accused him of harassment and mental cruelty amid their long-running matrimonial dispute.

Earlier, the Orissa High Court had refused to discharge Mohanty, along with Sujit Dalei and Khagesh alias Khagendra Prasad Sahoo, from the criminal case arising out of an FIR lodged in December 2020 by Priyadarshini, who alleged harassment, mental cruelty, wrongful restraint, and insult to her modesty during the pendency of matrimonial disputes between the estranged couple.

According to the prosecution’s case, the dispute relates to an incident in December 2020 when Varsha Priyadarshini, who had been granted interim access to the matrimonial home under proceedings under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, allegedly found the entrance to the first floor locked when she returned home with a police protection officer.

The complaint alleged that she was made to wait outside for nearly an hour before being allowed entry, causing humiliation, harassment and mental cruelty.

In a judgment delivered on January 30, 2026, the Orissa High Court held that the allegations and witness statements collected during the investigation disclosed a prima facie case warranting trial and observed that the issues raised by the accused could be examined only during the course of evidence.

A single-judge Bench of Justice B P Routray had declined to interfere with the trial court’s order rejecting the plea for discharge, saying that at the stage of framing of charges, courts are only required to determine whether sufficient grounds exist to proceed with the prosecution and not undertake a detailed appreciation of evidence.

Mohanty and Varsha Priyadarshini, both prominent figures in the Odia film industry, had been engaged in multiple matrimonial and criminal litigations following the breakdown of their marriage. The couple has since obtained a divorce.