Marital ‘Brakedown’: SC Dissolves Marriage Amid Dowry Row Involving 1951 Rolls-Royce Linked To Nehru | Auto News
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What made the case exceptional was the dispute over the 1951 Rolls-Royce, said to be worth several crores
According to court documents, the wife claimed that the car was hidden by the husband to conceal marital assets. The husband, however, maintained it was a family heirloom unrelated to the marriage. File pic/PTI
In a high-profile judgment, the Supreme Court has officially dissolved the marriage of a couple embroiled in a long-standing and bitter dowry and fraud dispute—a case that drew national attention due to its links to a rare vintage 1951 Rolls-Royce, once ordered by India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
The contentious legal battle centred on allegations of dowry harassment, asset concealment, and fraudulent claims, with the highlight being the ownership of an ultra-rare Rolls-Royce car, reportedly custom-built for the Maharani of Baroda on Nehru’s request. The car, a symbol of post-independence opulence, became a focal point in the divorce proceedings.
The couple, married in 2009, had been locked in a series of legal disputes for over a decade. The wife accused her husband and in-laws of dowry demands and misrepresentation of assets, while the husband countered with allegations of defamation and mental cruelty. Lower courts had failed to resolve the deadlock, leading to the case eventually reaching the Supreme Court.
While pronouncing the verdict, the SC noted that the marriage had “irretrievably broken down” and that reconciliation was no longer a viable option. The bench exercised its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to grant the divorce, citing the prolonged litigation and the toxic nature of the relationship.
What made the case exceptional was the dispute over the 1951 Rolls-Royce, said to be worth several crores. According to court documents, the wife claimed that the car was hidden by the husband to conceal marital assets. The husband, however, maintained it was a family heirloom unrelated to the marriage.
The top court chose not to rule directly on the ownership of the vintage car, leaving that matter to be settled in a separate civil proceeding, but acknowledged that the dispute over such a historically significant vehicle had further complicated an already acrimonious case.
Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He trawls X via …Read More
Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He trawls X via … Read More
September 06, 2025, 06:09 IST
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