Where is Atul Subhash’s son? Mother of Bengaluru techie moves Supreme Court for custody of grandson

The mother of Atul Subhash, the Bengaluru engineer who died by suicide on December 9, has approached the Supreme Court seeking custody of her four-year-old grandson who is currently with her daughter-in-law, Nikita Singhania. Subhash left behind video and written notes alleging harassment and false accusations from his wife and in-laws.  

On December 20, a bench consisting of Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotishwar Singh heard the case and asked the states of Karnataka, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh for their reply. The bench has also directed the States to ‘ascertain the whereabouts of the minor child.’

Nikita, who was separated from Subhash, lived in Gururgram, Haryana, while her mother and brother lived in Uttar Pradesh. Subhash was employed in Bengaluru at the time.

The three States are now parties to the case as a result.

The mother filed a lawsuit, claiming that her daughter-in-law was withholding the child’s location.

In Bengaluru, Subhash, a 34-year-old software developer, committed suicide. In addition to leaving a detailed suicide note, he recorded a video in which he accused his estranged wife Nikita Singhania and her family of tormenting him and bringing bogus charges against him, which ultimately led him to commit himself.

Social media users debated his video and suicide letter, with many demanding that Nikita and her family members be arrested.

During their ongoing legal struggle over divorce, alimony, and child custody at a family court in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, he was shown in the video accusing Nikita Singhania and her family of harassing him through a number of matrimonial proceedings.

Following the controversy surrounding the suicide, Nikita and her three family members were the subject of a first information report (FIR) filed in Bengaluru under Sections 108 (abetting suicide) and 3(5) (criminal act with a common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Nikita, her mother and brother were arrested by the Bengaluru police and are currently in judicial custody.