In a significant order affecting the future of a fractured family, the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the divorce between judicial officer Rohit Vats and his estranged wife Sonia Virk, while increasing the permanent alimony to ₹50 lakh. The Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta delivered the verdict after noting that the couple had already lived apart for more than a decade, with no chance of reconciliation.
Background
The couple married in December 2008. At that time, Vats was a trainee judicial officer, and Virk was serving as an Additional Advocate General. A daughter was born in 2009. Later, the relationship took a downward turn, and they separated in 2012.
A series of divorce petitions followed one withdrawn, another returned for jurisdictional issues before the current one was filed in 2019. The Family Court first rejected Vats’ plea, even holding that it was he who had been cruel to his wife. Virk opposed divorce at every stage, wanting to continue the marriage. However, the High Court reversed the findings in 2024 and granted divorce with ₹30 lakh alimony.
Court’s Observations
The Supreme Court directly interacted with both parties. The judges noted the bitterness that had only deepened with time.
“The relationship has become deeply embittered and acrimonious,” the Bench observed, adding that it is “not in the best interest of either spouse or their daughter to compel them to reside together.”
They pointed out that a legal bond without real substance only prolongs hostility. The seventeen-year-old daughter’s welfare was also treated as central to the decision.
Decision
The Supreme Court held that the marriage had broken down irretrievably and upheld the divorce. The financial security of the wife and daughter was then discussed.
Justice Nath remarked that since the husband is a serving judicial officer, he carries a “heightened obligation” to ensure financial dignity for his family. The Court found the earlier alimony inadequate and enhanced it to ₹50 lakh, payable within three months.
The judgment also clarified:
“This amount shall be a full and final settlement of all pecuniary and other claims.”
All previous High Court directives regarding the daughter-
- ₹30,000 per month assistance
- LIC policy maturity amount in daughter's account
- bear the marriage expenses
- Non-deprivation of inheritance will continue.
All civil and criminal cases between the parties relating to the marriage were also considered closed. Thus, a long-standing family dispute was brought to a legal end.
Case Name: Sonia Virk vs. Rohit Vats