The mother of Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash, who tragically took his own life, has approached the Supreme Court seeking custody of her grandson. The child is currently with his mother, Nikita Singhania, who was estranged from Subhash. A bench consisting of Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotishwar Singh heard the plea on December 20 and ordered responses from the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Karnataka regarding the whereabouts of the minor.
Atul Subhash, a 34-year-old software engineer, died by suicide in Bengaluru, leaving behind a suicide note and a video in which he accused his estranged wife, Nikita, and her family of harassment. He claimed they had subjected him to multiple legal battles over divorce, alimony, and child custody, which he said contributed to his decision. His death sparked public outrage, leading to an FIR being filed in Bengaluru under charges of abetment of suicide against Nikita and her family. As a result, Nikita, her mother, and brother were arrested and are currently in judicial custody.
The custody case is complicated by the fact that Subhash’s family is spread across multiple states, with Nikita residing in Gurugram, Haryana, and her family in Uttar Pradesh. The Supreme Court’s intervention aims to clarify the child’s location and the circumstances surrounding the ongoing custody battle.
Senior Advocate Gaurav Agrawal and Advocate Kumar Dushyant Singh are representing Subhash’s mother in this case.