AI Engineer’s Suicide: Bengaluru Police Arrest Wife, Mother-in-Law, and Brother-in-Law

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Police have arrested three individuals—Nikita Subhash, wife of AI engineer Atul Subhash; her mother, Nisha Singhania; and her brother, Anurag Singhania—in connection with Atul’s suicide on December 9. The arrests were made from different locations: Nikita from Gurugram, and Nisha and Anurag from Prayagraj. The accused were presented before the court on Saturday and have been sent to judicial custody, according to Bengaluru Police DCP Shivakumar.

Atul, originally from Bihar, ended his life at his flat in Bengaluru’s Manjunath Layout, leaving behind a 24-page suicide note and a 1-hour-20-minute video. In these, he alleged severe harassment by his wife and her family, including extortion and false legal accusations.

Following the filing of an FIR by Atul’s brother, Bengaluru Police began their investigation and reached the family’s home in Jaunpur on December 13. Upon arrival, they found the house locked. CCTV footage later revealed Nisha and Anurag fleeing on a bike late at night. They briefly stayed at a nearby hotel before fleeing again. The police tracked them to Prayagraj, where they were apprehended.

Atul’s suicide note, titled “Justice is due”, outlined years of alleged harassment by his wife and her family. He claimed they filed nine cases against him, including charges of murder and unnatural sex, which were later withdrawn. The remaining cases, involving dowry harassment, divorce, and maintenance, were ongoing in the district and high courts.

Atul alleged that his wife’s family demanded ₹1 crore as settlement, later increasing it to ₹3 crore. He also claimed the court ordered him to pay per month for the care of his 4.5-year-old son, whom he hadn’t seen in three years despite repeated court applications.

In his video, Atul accused Principal Family Judge Rita Kaushik of bias and corruption. He alleged that during a court hearing, his wife mocked him, asking why he hadn’t committed suicide, to which the judge reportedly laughed and suggested he settle the case. Atul claimed the judge demanded ₹5 lakh to facilitate the settlement.

Atul married Nikita in 2019 after meeting her through a matrimony website. He alleged that his wife, despite being educated and employed at a multinational company, demanded ₹2 lakh monthly maintenance. He described immense stress caused by these financial demands, legal battles, and separation from his son, leaving him with no option but to end his life.

While Nikita, Nisha, and Anurag are in custody, the police are still investigating the involvement of the fourth accused, Sushil Singhania, Atul’s uncle-in-law.  

Atul’s tragic death has sparked discussions about the misuse of legal provisions and the mental health challenges faced by men in such circumstances. Authorities are expected to submit a detailed report soon.