Bengaluru techie suicide: Karnataka HC refuses to pass interim order on plea from Atul Subhash's wife

Nikita, her mother and brother were arrested by Bengaluru police and remanded in judicial custody. Later a Bengaluru court had granted bail to all the three accused.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday refused to pass any interim order on Interlocutory Application (IA) in the petition filed by Nikita Singhani, accused in the abetment to suicide of her husband Atul Subhash, a software engineer.

Justice SR Krishna Kumar orally said that all the ingredients of the offence of abetment of suicide seem to be prima facie present in the FIR.

The court has adjourned the hearing by two weeks in the petition seeking for quashing of the FIR registered by the Bengaluru city police. The court has directed the police to file their response to the petition, including the investigation details.

At the hearing, the advocate for Nikita and three other accused petitioners submitted that the FIR does not disclose the commission of offence. It was further submitted that the case was registered as a counter blast to cruelty case registered by Nikita.

The court referred to the guidelines framed by the apex court in the Bhajan Lal case pertaining to interference by high courts. Justice Krishna Kumar said that in the case at hand, it is not only a detailed but the ingredients are made out insofar as section 306 of IPC or section 108 of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to abetment to suicide, as elucidated by the apex court.

On December 9, Atul was found dead in his apartment in Bengaluru, leaving behind a 90-minute video and a 40-page note detailing harassment by his wife and in-laws. In his suicide note, Atul Subhash had stated that his wife had pressured to pay Rs 3 crore for the divorce.

Police registered an FIR under Sections 108 and 3 (5) of the BNS. Nikita, her mother and brother were arrested by Bengaluru police and remanded in judicial custody. On January 4, 2024, a Bengaluru court had granted bail to all the three accused in the case.