Vijay’s wife withdraws petition to divorce him

Chengalpattu, near Chennai, witnessed a significant development in the personal life of Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay, on Friday. His wife, Sangeetha, withdrew her divorce petition filed before the family court, thereby ending a legal battle that began in February. Judge D Sujatha granted Sangeetha's request to withdraw the petition after she confirmed in a video conference that she no longer wished to pursue the proceedings.

Sangeetha had initially filed the divorce petition under Section 27(1)(a), (b) and (d) of the Special Marriage Act, citing adultery and mental cruelty as grounds. She had explained that despite attempts to resolve their differences amicably, she was unable to do so. Furthermore, she had explained her decision to delay legal proceedings to safeguard her children's education and emotional well-being, as well as her request for maintenance and the right to reside in their Neelankarai residence.

During a previous hearing on June 20, both Vijay and Sangeetha failed to appear before the court. Their lawyers subsequently sought permission to represent their clients virtually, citing security concerns and procedural difficulties resulting from their status as public figures. On Friday, judge Sujatha recorded Sangeetha's statement and noted Vijay's lack of objection, resulting in the dismissal of the petition as withdrawn.

Sangeetha was thus granted the liberty to initiate fresh proceedings, should she choose to do so in the future.