Justice Roshan Dalvi of the HC said since both—the singer from Pakistan and the heiress from the UAE—wanted a divorce, she was granting it. The end, came too unexpected and swift, following a petition filed by Adnan to challenge a Bandra family court's order passed in February.

The court had refused to accept his contention that a divorce certificate issued by Darul Qaza, on Sabah's application last year, meant their marriage had ceased to exist and so, a petition for divorce filed by her in 2009 and still pending was redundant. The family court went by Sabah's lawyer's contention that the divorce certificate was "not relevant" in the wake of the Muslim Marriage Act, which under Section 2 (viii) granted a Mulsim woman the right to seek divorce in a civil court.

She had said the certificate was merely to strengthen her case of alleged cruelty by Adnan. The family court had held that the couple continued to remain married as Darul Qaza's certificate was contrary to the codified law governing Muslim marriages.

Adnan subsequently challenged the order in the HC. When it came up for hearing on Tuesday, his lawyer, Vibhav Krishna, said Sabah had sought to dissolve the marriage and she went to the Muslim body, as result of which the family court had no authority to proceed with the plea.

He also questioned if a divorce initiated by a Muslim wife could only be through a court proceeding as held by the family court. Justice Dalvi asked him if he had contested the divorce certificate and when he replied in the negative, she said with both agreeing to the dissolution of marriage, it was the court's duty to pass an order for divorce.

Both Adnan and Sabah claimed the divorce as their individual victory. But going by Sabah's lawyer's statement, it seems to be a double win for her: Sabah's lawyer said the HC has held that all ancillary issues and proceedings initiated by Sabah against Adnan, including her Rs 5-crore compensation claim, domestic violence pleas and property rights, will continue before the family court.

This was the couple's second marriage solemnized in 2007. In 2009, Sabah filed for divorce alleging cruelty against her by a "drunk" Adnan who refuted the charges.

While Sabah is now free to remarry, Adnan married again in 2011 (less)