BENGALURU: Karnataka police on Saturday arrested Atul Subhash's estranged wife, her mother and brother in connection with the suicide of the techie. Subhash, who ended his life due to alleged harassment by his wife and her family, left behind a 25-page death note on December 9.
The accused have been identified as Nikita Singhania, Atul's wife; Nisha Singhania, his mother-in-law; and Anurag Singhania, his brother-in-law. Another accused, Sushil Singhania, is yet to be arrested.
According to a press release by the police, Nikita was arrested on Saturday morning in Gurgaon, Haryana, while Nisha and Anurag were arrested in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.
The police have produced the trio before the magistrate's court, the court has remanded them to judicial custody.
The arrests follow a coordinated effort by Bengaluru police, who sought assistance from their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh to locate the accused.
Based on a complaint by Atul's brother Bilas Kumar, the police registered an FIR against Atul's wife and her family. They have been booked for abetment of suicide.
The latest development comes amid a plea for anticipatory bail filed on Friday by Nikita and three family members at the Allahabad High Court.
Atul Subhash, a resident of Manjunath Layout in Bengaluru, was found dead in his apartment on Monday. In a 25-page suicide note, he alleged harassment by his estranged wife and her family.
The note detailed claims that false cases had been filed against him, accompanied by demands for Rs 3 crore to settle the disputes. He also accused the family of demanding Rs 30 lakh to grant him visitation rights to his four-year-old son. In addition to the note, he recorded videos before taking the extreme step.
A four-member Bengaluru police team travelled to Jaunpur on Thursday to serve summons at the Singhania residence. However, the team found the family’s home locked, and neighbours indicated that they had fled the locality on Wednesday past midnight.
The deceased's video went viral on social media following which the case drew widespread attention, highlighting the emotional and legal challenges involved in matrimonial disputes.
Atul’s handwriting samples sent to FSL for analysis
The police are working to gather additional evidence and record statements from relatives of the deceased and the accused. Atul’s handwriting samples, along with other documents and video footage, have been sent to the FSL for analysis, he said.
