Nikita Singhania Case: Counsel Argues Child Should Not Be Utilized for Bail

Bengaluru, Dec 30 (NationPress) The accused's wife must not be permitted to manipulate the child as a means to obtain bail, declared Akash Jindal, the lawyer representing Atul Subhash, an employee of an automobile firm, who tragically took his own life after alleging that his wife sought Rs 3 crore for a divorce settlement.

The bail hearing for Atul Subhash's wife is scheduled for January 4 in a Bengaluru court. The bail request submitted by the accused, Nikita Singhania, was filed on Monday, and her legal team presented arguments against granting bail to the accused individuals in this matter.

The attorney for the Subhash family emphasized, "The criminal nature is escalating with this process, and she cannot exploit the child; we seek complete custody of the child."

"Our position is that the actions they have committed are extraordinarily heinous; furthermore, we have submitted a habeas corpus petition to the Supreme Court, which has instructed the three states of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Haryana to determine the child's location, and once found, appropriate directions regarding custody will be established," he added.

"Why is the 4-year-old child living away from his mother in a hostel? His grandparents are deeply concerned for his well-being," he stated.

Pavan Kumar Modi, Atul Subhash's father, expressed his anxiety over the child's safety. He warned that if the court permits bail for Atul's wife, she might pose a threat to the child's life. "If she could drive my son to suicide, she could easily do the same to the child," he asserted.

"My grandson was like an ATM for her. She extracted money under the guise of caring for him. She even went to the High Court requesting anywhere from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000, and then escalated her demands to Rs 80,000. She continued to ask for more funds. Thus, we have approached the Supreme Court to secure custody of the child, as he is safer with us," he noted.

Bikas Kumar, Atul Subhash's brother, expressed satisfaction with the police investigation. "The police have supported us, and we have complied with their inquiries as they proceed with the investigation. We need to obtain custody of the child and have communicated this to our lawyer. The matter is currently before the Supreme Court," he commented.

When queried about the child's location, he mentioned that they were unaware of where Atul's son was. "We are awaiting the hearing on January 7 in the Supreme Court regarding this issue," he said.

Atul Subhash, who worked for an automobile company in Bengaluru, is reported to have taken his own life after being pressured to pay Rs 3 crore for a divorce settlement. He left behind a 90-minute video and a 40-page death note detailing how the harassment from his wife, Nikita Singhania, and her family compelled him to take such a drastic step.

Three individuals implicated in Atul Subhash's case—including his wife, her mother, and brother—were apprehended by the Bengaluru Police and are currently in 14-day judicial custody.

The police lodged an FIR against the accused under Sections 108 and 3 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) on December 9. Bikas Kumar filed a police report claiming abetment to suicide with the Marathahalli police in Bengaluru.

Bikas Kumar asserted in his complaint that the accused had fabricated cases against his brother (Atul) while demanding Rs 3 crore for settlement. He also alleged that his brother was ridiculed in court, being told he had to either pay Rs 3 crore or end his life.

Nikita's family contended that the deceased Subhash had demanded a significant dowry from them, which ultimately led to her father's death.