Days after the tragic suicide of AI engineer Atul Subhash, his mother filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking custody of her 4-year-old grandson. Subhash's mother Anju Devi approached the apex court, requesting that the child be handed over to her and his grandfather’s custody.
A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh heard the case and issued notices to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Karnataka, asking them to respond to the petition. The top court has directed the state governments to respond to the habeas corpus petition, which seeks the return of the child.
Child's whereabouts unknown
The petition filed by Anju Devi raises concerns about the whereabouts of the child. According to the plea, Subhash’s wife, Nikita Singhania, who is currently in custody, has not disclosed any concrete information about the child's location. Nikita's brother, Anurag Singhania, and mother Nisha Singhania, are also in police custody but have not provided clarity on the matter. Nikita reportedly informed the police that the boy is enrolled in a boarding school in Faridabad and is under the care of her paternal uncle, Sushil Singhania. However, Sushil Singhania has denied having custody or any knowledge about the child’s whereabouts, adding further mystery to the case.
Involvement of three states
Given the case's connections to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Karnataka, Anju Devi has sought the Supreme Court's intervention to retrieve the child and present him before the court. The petition emphasises the urgency of ensuring the child’s safety and resolving custody. The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for January 7, 2024, to deliberate further on the case. Meanwhile, the governments of the three states have been directed to respond to the petition.
Atul Subhash suicide case
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, a Bengaluru Police official said. They were arrested last Saturday, brought to Bengaluru and sent to 14 days judicial custody after being produced before a local court. Subhash, a 34-year-old engineer, died by suicide in Bengaluru on December 9, allegedly due to harassment by his estranged wife and her family.
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