Atul Subhash Death Case: Techie's Son Will Remain With 'His Mother' - SC

The Supreme Court, on Monday ruled that the custody of the minor son of Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash, who died by suicide, will remain with his estranged wife, Nikita Singhania. She, along with her family members, is facing charges of abetting the suicide of Subhash.

A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and SC Sharma issued this order while dismissing a request from Subhash’s mother, Anju Devi, for custody of the child.

During a hearing on January 7, Justice Nagarathna noted Anju Devi was practically 'unknown to the child' implying a lack of a meaningful connection between them

The court expressed a desire to interact with the child, who is reportedly studying at a boarding school in Haryana. It also requested affidavits from the Haryana government and Singhania regarding the child's well-being.

Earlier in the day, the bench directed the lawyer representing Subhash's estranged wife, Nikita Singhania, to present the child through video conferencing.

Bengaluru Techie Atul Subhash Suicide Case

Atul Subhash, 34, a Bengaluru-based techie, was found dead at his rented house in Bengaluru's Munnekolalu on December 9 last year.

He purportedly left behind lengthy messages spanning 24 pages, where he accused his wife and in-laws of forcing him to take this extreme step.

He also recorded an 81-minute video alleging continuous harassment by his wife Nikita, whom he married in 2019.

After the incident, his brother Bikas Kumar filed a complaint against Nikita Singhania, her mother Nisha, her brother Anurag, and her uncle Sushil, leading the Marathahalli police to charge them with abetment to suicide.

The accused are said to have demanded Rs 3 crore to drop cases against Subhash and Rs 30 lakh for visitation rights to see his son.