The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Karnataka governments after the mother of the Bengaluru-based techie who died by suicide filed a habeas corpus plea seeking the custody of her grandson.
In her plea, Atul's mother has sought custody of her four-and-a-half-year-old grandson, asserting that the child's whereabouts are currently unknown. The petition mentioned that Atul's estranged wife, who is in custody, and his in-laws were not disclosing any information about the child's location.
Atul Subhash, who worked for a private firm in Bengaluru, died by suicide earlier this month alleging harassment by his wife, Nikita Singhania, and her family members.
He also left behind a 24-page suicide note detailing emotional distress from marital issues and multiple cases filed against him by his wife. In the death note, Atul also accused a family court judge in Uttar Pradesh of favouring his in-laws.
Amid an outrage over the incident, Atul's wife was arrested in Gurgaon (Haryana), while his mother-in-law and brother-in-law were held in Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad. The trio were arrested by the Bengaluru police based on a complaint of abetment of suicide filed by Atul's brother. They have been sent to 14-days judicial custody after being produced before a Bengaluru court.
In her plea, Atul's mother contended that due to the involvement of three states — Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Karnataka —the Supreme Court's intervention was essential to resolve the matter and ensure justice. The matter will be heard in January next year.
Atul Subhash married Nikita Singhania, a software professional, in 2019. Subhash was facing nine cases, including charges of attempt to murder, dowry harassment, unnatural sex, and many others.
