Bengaluru Techie Suicide Case: The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash's four-year-old son will live with his mother Nikita Singhania. Atul Subhash died by suicide in December 2024 and had accused his estranged wife, Nikita Singhania, of mental harassment.
Justices BV Nagarathna and SC Sharma delivered the verdict in response to a plea by Anju Devi, the mother of Atul Subhash, seeking custody of her grandson. The judges spoke to the child via video link before ruling on the matter.
Atul Subhash and Nikita Singhania married in 2019 and welcomed their son in 2020. However, following an altercation in 2021, Nikita left their home, and in 2022, she filed a case against Atul Subhash and his family members.
The Supreme Court had earlier on Monday directed the estranged wife of Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash to produce their minor son before it.
A bench told the lawyer appearing for Subhash's estranged wife Nikita Singhania to produce the child through video-conferencing.
"This is a habeas corpus petition. We want to see the child. Produce the child," the bench said.
After the child of Atul Subhash and Nikita Singhania was produced in court via video conferencing, the court proceedings went offline to protect the identity of the child.
The Supreme Court had earlier been informed by Nikita Singhania that the child dropped out of school in Haryana and was currently residing with the mother in Bengaluru.
On January 7, the top court denied Atul Subhash's mother Anju Devi's plea seeking the minor's custody, saying she was a "stranger to the child".
Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash died by suicide in December 2024. He left behind a 24-page suicide note and a video claiming that he was harassed by his estranged wife, Nikita, mother-in-law, Nisha, and brother-in-law, Anurag.
Atul Subhash, in his suicide note, outlined his distress and alleged mistreatment by his wife, Nikita, and in-laws. In his note, he accused them of demanding substantial sums of money for legal matters related to their son and for visitation rights.
Nikita Singhania, along with her mother and brother, was arrested shortly after Atul Subhash's death based on a complaint filed by his brother. The police reported that they were charged with demanding ₹3 crore to withdraw police cases against Atul Subhash.
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