The tragic Atul Subhash suicide case sparked outrage, highlighting what was alleged harassment and a systemic flaw in legal proceedings. The 34-year-old, found dead at his Bengaluru home on Monday, left a 24-page suicide note accusing his estranged wife, Nikita Singhania, and her family of extortion and relentless harassment. A placard reading “Justice is due” was also discovered at the scene.
Atul’s parents revealed that he went through tremendous mental and physical strain, traveling almost 40 times between Bengaluru and Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur to appear in court. His father accused the family court of having neglected all legal procedures, adding to Atul’s frustration over not getting justice.
Family speaks up on Atul Subhash suicide case
“They tortured my son, they tortured us too. But my son took everything upon himself. He endured everything, he did not let us suffer. He kept burning inside,” said his mother.
His father said:
“He said the judge and others did not follow the law, did not even follow the guidelines of high courts and the Supreme Court. He must have travelled between Bengaluru and Jaunpur at least 40 times. So many charges, one case would finish and she (the wife) would slap another. He was frustrated, but he did not show it to us,”
The Atul Subhash suicide case also brought to the fore severe allegations of corruption in the judiciary. Atul mentioned in his note that the judge made a mockery of his plea to men being wrongly accused. He alleged the judge threatened him with taking ₹5 lakh to close the case, which had further exacerbated his depression. His brother Bikas Kumar expressed anger at the authorities for not investigating the claims and bring justice.
“Around eight months after my brother’s wife separated from him, she filed a divorce case and framed many charges against my brother and our entire family under different acts and sections. Every law in India is for women, and not for men – my brother fought for this but he left us.”
“My brother did everything for her. Whatever has happened was unfortunate. If he had ever discussed it with me or our father, we would have helped him out of this situation… I want to request the government of India and the President that justice must be done to my brother if he is right. Otherwise, show me the proof that he is wrong. There should be a proper investigation against the judge named in my brother’s suicide note,”
Atul’s marriage with Nikita Singhania became dark after his wife started making repeated monetary demands in 2019, which heightened during the pandemic. Since 2021, Atul alleged that his wife had taken their son, and filed several charges such as dowry harassment and unnatural sex, many of which Atul claimed were false and withdrawn later. His note recounted how his wife’s family allegedly demanded ₹3 crore to settle the matter, leaving him financially and emotionally drained.
“This is some poor bollywood plot. She has already confessed that her father was suffering from long term illness in her cross examination. Her father was getting treated from AIIMS for the last 10 years for heart disease, diabetes etc. Doctors gave him few months and hence we got married quickly,”
Atul’s close friend, Jackson, described him as resilient but overburdened by systemic bias. In his final note, Atul wrote that he believed his sacrifice might save his family from further harassment. Bengaluru police have registered a case of abetment to suicide against Nikita and her family, who will be interrogated in Jaunpur.
“During COVID, he was looking after his wife and son. His wife was also infected with COVID and she had a lot of issues. So he went ahead to procure medicines for her and she wasn’t taking them on time. This created some friction that escalated into multiple issues and then she left him along with the baby and he could not see his son,”
The Atul Subhash suicide case has reignited debates on systemic bias and the urgent need for judicial reforms to protect men facing false accusations.