Nikita Singhania, the estranged wife of 34-year-old Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash, along with her mother Nisha and brother Anurag, has been arrested on charges of abetment to suicide. The arrests come days after Subhash was found dead in his Bengaluru apartment, leaving behind a detailed 24-page suicide note and an 80-minute video alleging harassment and extortion by his wife and her family.

The accused were produced in court and remanded to custody after failing to appear as directed by Bengaluru police within the stipulated three days.

Subhash, originally from Samastipur in Bihar, married Nikita in 2019 after meeting her through a matchmaking website. The couple welcomed a son in 2020, but the relationship reportedly soured soon after. In his suicide note, Subhash alleged that Nikita and her family made repeated demands for large sums of money to start businesses. When he refused, arguments escalated, and Nikita left with their son in 2021.

The following year, Nikita allegedly filed multiple legal cases against Subhash and his family, including charges of dowry harassment, cruelty, and even murder. Subhash’s note claims these cases were meant to extort money, with Nikita allegedly demanding ₹3 crore for a settlement. A court had previously ordered Subhash to pay ₹80,000 per month in maintenance for Nikita and their son, but he alleged she wanted even more.

Subhash’s family alleged that the ongoing legal battles left him severely stressed, forcing him to travel between Bengaluru and Jaunpur over 40 times. They also claimed Nikita refused to let him see his son unless he paid additional money.

In his note, Subhash expressed frustration over what he called a biased legal system that, in his view, often sides with women in such cases. “The harder I work, the more I and my family are harassed and extorted. The legal system only encourages and helps my harassers,” he wrote. He added that his death would save his family from further harassment.

He also accused Nikita and her mother Nisha of directly instigating him to end his life on two occasions.

Following Subhash’s death, his brother, Bikas Kumar, filed a police complaint accusing Nikita, her mother, brother, and uncle, Sushil Singhania, of abetment to suicide. The family claimed Subhash was driven to despair due to the legal battles and financial demands.

Meanwhile, Nikita’s uncle, Sushil Singhania, denied the allegations, stating they were baseless and that the family is innocent.

The tragic case has sparked widespread outrage and brought attention to the pressures and complexities of matrimonial disputes, as well as the alleged misuse of legal provisions in such cases. Investigations are ongoing.