Bengaluru Techie Suicide Case: Atul Subhash’s mother-in-law, Nisha Singhania, and brother-in-law, Anurag, are reported to have fled their home in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, after being named in an FIR filed by Bengaluru Police. The charges include abetment to suicide, among other sections. A purported video circulating on social media shows Atul’s mother-in-law Nisha Singhania leaving her home late at night on Wednesday on a motorcycle.

Subhash’s family is calling for justice and demanding strict action against those responsible for his death. Subhash’s lawyer, Dinesh Mishra, revealed that Subhash’s monthly salary in Bengaluru was around Rs 84,000. In July, the Family Court in Jaunpur had ordered Subhash to pay Rs 40,000 in alimony for the support of his child. However, this amount was for the child’s expenses and did not cover any support for his wife. Mishra also clarified that the court did not order any maintenance payments for Nikita Singhania, as she is financially stable and has a good income.

Vijay Mishra, the lawyer for Atul’s in-laws, said that Nikita had filed a maintenance case against Atul. He expressed confusion over why he took his own life and emphasised that a thorough investigation is needed to find out the truth.

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Speaking to the media, Nikita’s uncle Sushil, who is also named as an accused, denied any involvement. He stated that he had nothing to do with this, and the divorce case has been ongoing for the last three years. He said that their family is innocent, and the claims made by Subhash are not true. He also assured that Nikita will address everything in court. But there has been no word from her yet.

Meanwhile, Inspector Mithilesh Mishra, in charge of the Kotwali police station, has said that the police have not yet received any instructions to arrest Nisha Singhania or the other accused. Nikita and Subhash got married in April 2019, and in 2022, Nikita filed an FIR against her husband and his family, accusing them of dowry harassment.

“My son was broken from inside,” says Atul Subhash’s father

Atul Subhash’s father, Pawan Kumar, shared that his son had been deeply affected by the multiple legal cases filed against him and his family by his wife. He mentioned that Atul had been hopeful while fighting the cases, believing in the path of truth, but the constant legal battles had taken a toll on him. “He was broken from inside, though he didn’t tell anyone anything,” Subhash’s father Pawan Kumar told ANI.

Kumar recalled that his daughter-in-law began filing cases against the family in January 2021. He explained that Atul had initially thought since his wife had left after the pandemic, their young son would spend some time at her family’s home. However, soon after, she started legal proceedings against the entire family.

The issue of misusing Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with cruelty by husbands and their families toward wives, has raised concerns. The Supreme Court, on December 11, expressed worry over the growing misuse of this law, with one bench pointing out that it has often been used as a tool for personal revenge rather than justice. In a separate case, the court had quashed a Section 498A charge against a husband and his parents, highlighting the potential for such laws to be exploited.