Today, On 7th January, The Supreme Court is hearing the case of Atul Subhash, a 34-year-old who died by suicide in December. Atul had accused Nikita Singhania and her family of harassment through false cases, causing immense pressure on him and his parents. During the hearing, Nikita’s lawyer responded to questions about the whereabouts of Atul’s son. The case continues to gather significant public and legal attention.
New Delhi: After weeks of uncertainty regarding the whereabouts of AI techie Atul Subhash’s four-year-old son, his estranged wife, Nikita Singhania, informed the Supreme Court today that the child is currently at a boarding school in Faridabad, Haryana.
Nikita’s attorney stated that the child would soon be brought to Bengaluru to stay with his mother.
Atul Subhash, 34, tragically died by suicide in December after alleging that Nikita and her family had harassed him and his parents by filing false cases against them. Nikita, along with her mother Nisha and brother Anurag, is facing charges of abetment to suicide and is currently out on bail.
Atul’s mother, Anju Devi, has approached the Supreme Court seeking custody of her grandson. During the proceedings, Nikita’s lawyer explained that the four-year-old had been enrolled in a boarding school in Faridabad during her mother’s arrest and subsequent bail.
However, the child will need to be relocated to Bengaluru so Nikita can comply with her bail conditions.
Her lawyer informed the bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh,
“We will take the child to Bengaluru. We have withdrawn him from school. The mother must be in Bengaluru to satisfy her bail requirements,”
The bench then ordered that the child must be presented in court at the next hearing.
Anju Devi’s lawyer argued that, as the grandmother, she should be granted custody of the child, emphasizing that children under six years old should not be placed in a boarding school.
The bench noted that the child has had very little interaction with his grandmother, with Justice Nagaratna stating,
“Sorry to say, but the child is a stranger to the petitioner.”
Anju Devi’s lawyer mentioned that they possess photographs showing the grandmother with the child when he was two years old. Atul and Nikita married in 2019 and welcomed their son the following year.
However, in 2021, Nikita left their home in Bengaluru after a dispute, and in 2022, she filed a case against Atul and his family.
The court emphasized that Nikita Singhania has not yet been proven guilty and that it cannot make decisions based on a “media trial.”
Read Also: Atul Subhash Points To LawChakra Video in His Heart-Wrenching Suicide Note
The bench clarified that the issue of child custody must be addressed in the appropriate court where the trial is ongoing.
The next hearing is scheduled for January 20.
Atul Subhash tragically died by suicide in his Bengaluru apartment on December 9. In an 81-minute video and a 24-page suicide note, he accused Nikita and her family of filing false cases against him and his parents in an attempt to extort money. He also claimed that the justice system is biased in favor of women in such cases.
The incident created significant outrage and ignited a nationwide discussion regarding the potential misuse of laws intended to protect women from abuse by their husbands or in-laws.