The tragic case of Atul Subhash, a 34-year-old techie from Bengaluru, India has garnered significant media attention following his suicide on December 9, 2024. Atul’s death has raised serious concerns about domestic abuse, mental health, and the legal system’s treatment of men in marital disputes. He left behind a 24-page suicide note and a 70 minute long video detailing his allegations against his estranged wife, Nikita Singhania, and her family, which included claims of harassment and extortion.
Atul Subhash was a deputy general manager at a private firm in Bengaluru. His life took a tumultuous turn when his wife initiated divorce proceedings in January 2021. He was married to Nikita Singhania in April 2019, and they had a son together.
According to reports, Nikita began filing multiple legal cases against Atul and his family, which he claimed were baseless and aimed at extorting money from him. In his suicide note, Atul detailed the emotional and financial pressures he faced from Nikita and her family, including demands for large sums of money for settling disputes and visitation rights regarding their son.
Key Allegations:
Harassment and Abuse: Atul alleged that he was subjected to both emotional and financial abuse by his wife and her relatives. He claimed they pressured him for money continuously since early 2020.
Extortion: He mentioned that demands escalated from an initial ₹1 crore to ₹3 crore for settling the divorce case (3 crore INR is approximately 360,000 USD nominally but over a million USD in PPP terms). Additionally, he accused them of demanding ₹30 lakh for visitation rights to see their son.
Legal Manipulation: Atul expressed frustration over the legal system, claiming that he was falsely accused of serious charges such as murder and dowry harassment. He stated that these accusations were weaponized against him during the divorce proceedings.
Atul’s suicide note accused his wife and her family of harassment and extortion. He claimed they demanded a settlement of Rs 3 crore to withdraw the cases against him. The note also expressed his despair over being unable to see his son unless he met his wife’s financial demands.
In July 2024, a family court ordered Atul to pay Rs 40,000 per month for child support. His lawyer indicated that this amount was solely for the child’s upbringing and not alimony for Nikita, who was financially stable. Despite this, Atul perceived the amount as excessive, contributing to his distress.
Subhash described two key conversations at a Jaunpur family court that he claimed were particularly traumatic:
In March 2024, a judge allegedly mocked Subhash when he said he couldn’t afford legal fees. His wife Nikita then allegedly told him “So why don’t you die by suicide?”
In April 2024, outside the courtroom, Subhash’s mother-in-law Nisha Singhania allegedly said “You haven’t died by suicide yet? I thought I would get news of your suicide today.”
These incidents, according to Subhash, broke his faith in the legal system. He felt that the courts were more interested in prolonging the legal battle rather than providing justice or protecting him from harassment.
Subhash’s note also revealed that he had to travel from Bengaluru to Jaunpur up to 40 times since divorce proceedings began. He claimed that this constant commuting, combined with the financial strain and emotional distress, took a severe toll on his mental health.
Throughout the note, Subhash expressed his fear for his young son’s future, writing letters to his son asking him never to trust the “system” and warning him about the dangers of getting married. He also expressed regret for not being able to provide a better life for his child.
In the days leading up to his death, Atul recorded a 90-minute video detailing his experiences and frustrations with the legal system. He expressed a desire for transparency in his case, requesting that court hearings be live-streamed to expose what he described as the “terrible state of the legal system.”
Following Atul’s suicide, his brother filed a complaint with the Bengaluru police, leading to an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. The police registered an FIR against Nikita Singhania, her mother Nisha Singhania, brother Anurag Singhania, and uncle Sushil Singhania for abetment to suicide.
On December 15, 2024, police arrested Nikita along with her mother and brother in connection with the case. They were apprehended in different locations—Nikita in Gurgaon and her family members in Prayagraj and subsequently brought to Bengaluru for judicial proceedings. The police are also investigating another relative, Sushil Singhania.
The allegations made by Atul Subhash have raised critical questions about the legal framework governing marital disputes in India. His father claimed that a judge involved in their case demanded bribes for settling disputes, further complicating an already distressing situation for Atul. This has led to calls for reform within the judicial system to address corruption and ensure fair treatment for all parties involved.
