Bengaluru techie’s wife, in-laws arrested; sent to 14-day remand

The Bengaluru police have arrested three persons, including the estranged wife of tech executive Atul Subhash who died by suicide recently, an official said on Sunday.

Nikita Singhania was arrested from Gurugram, Haryana, while her mother Nisha Singhania and brother Anurag Singhania were picked up from Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj for abetting Subhash’s suicide, the police official said.

They were arrested on Saturday, brought to Bengaluru and sent to 14-day judicial custody after being produced in court, he said. A senior official from the Prayagraj police on Sunday claimed the Bengaluru police did not inform them about the arrest of Nisha and Anurag.

Subhash, 34, was found hanging from his house at Munnekolalu in southeast Bengaluru on December 9. He left behind lengthy videos and notes, blaming his wife and in-laws for driving him to commit suicide through “false” cases and “persistent torture”.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said Subhash’s wife, mother-in-law and brother-in-law had been apprehended and were in judicial custody. The investigation would follow.

“He (Subhash) had left a 40-page death note and raised several issues, most importantly about the misuse of provisions in the law that were meant for the protection of women. He has said he was pressured for Rs 3 crore and some other things, including

cases registered against him,” Parameshwara told reporters in Bengaluru.

Noting that Subhash had raised questions about the “rights of men”, the minister said the issue of whether the law should be amended, given its purported misuse, or not had become a topic of discussion across the country.

“Questions are being raised, discussions are happening in the country. Probably discussions will have to happen in the days ahead about bringing changes to the laws at both state and central levels,” he added.

Nikita, her mother, brother and uncle Sushil Singhania had earlier filed anticipatory bail pleas in the Allahabad High Court. The pleas came after the Bengaluru police on Friday issued summons to Nikita and asked her to appear before it within three days.

On Sunday, the residences of Nikita and Sushil in UP’s Jaunpur appeared desolate. The Bengaluru police had pasted notices on the boundary walls of Nikita’s house. According to some local residents, the house had been empty ever since the allegations surfaced against them.

Meanwhile, Atul’s father on Sunday called for strict punishment for those who "harassed" his son, asserting that his ashes will not be immersed till justice is served. “I thank the Karnataka Police for arresting them (Subhash's estranged wife and in-laws). All those who harassed my son should be punished so that he gets justice, and his soul rests in peace. I will not immerse the ashes of my son till we get justice,” Pawan Kumar told reporters here.

“My son was being harassed and tortured for money, and humiliated by his wife... I request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all concerned… please give us justice,” he said.