Bengaluru: According to Akash Jindal, the lawyer for Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash, who committed suicide after claiming that his wife and her relatives harassed him for a Rs 3 crore divorce settlement, the accused wife shouldn’t exploit the kid to get bail in court.

On January 4, a Bengaluru court is set to hear Nikita Singhania’s bail plea. She is Atul Subhash’s wife. Nikita’s bail petition was submitted on Monday, and both her and the other accused’s legal teams argued against giving release to the case’s defendants.

Atul Subhash’s family’s attorney emphasized the case’s growing criminal character and said that Nikita shouldn’t be granted custody of the kid, reiterating their demand for full custody.

They further emphasized the seriousness of the offense, pointing out that the Supreme Court had received a habeas corpus petition. Authorities in Haryana, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh were ordered by the court to find the youngster. Once located, more custody instructions will be provided.

Concerned about the situation, the family questioned why the 4-year-old boy had been living in a hostel and away from his mother. Concerns over the child’s safety were also raised.

Atul Subhash’s father, Pavan Kumar Modi, expressed his worries about the kid’s welfare, saying that Atul’s wife would hurt the child if she was given bail. “She might hurt the child if she could push my son to kill himself,” he said.

He further said that Nikita used the boy like an “ATM,” demanding big payments while pretending to be taking care of him. According to him, she made demands ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000, then increased them to Rs 80,000 and kept asking for more. The family felt that the youngster would be safer in their care, so they went to the Supreme Court to request custody of the child.

Atul Subhash’s brother, Bikas Kumar, was pleased with the police inquiry, praising their cooperation and assistance. “We have told our lawyer that we are committed to obtaining custody of the kid. The Supreme Court is now considering the case,” he said.

In response to a question on the child’s present whereabouts, Bikas said they were expecting information from a Supreme Court hearing on January 7 but did not know where Atul’s kid was.

After reportedly being pressed by his wife, Nikita Singhania, and her family to pay a Rs 3 crore divorce settlement, Atul Subhash, who worked for a Bengaluru-based car firm, allegedly committed suicide on December 9. He left behind a 40-page suicide note and a 90-minute film in which he described how his wife’s pestering prompted him to take this drastic measure.

In connection with the case, Nikita, her mother, and her brother were all placed under arrest and placed in 14-day judicial detention. On December 9, a formal complaint was submitted in accordance with Sections 108 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). Bikas Kumar accused the family of aiding and abetting Atul’s suicide in a police case he filed with the Marathahalli police.

Bikas said that the accused had falsely implicated Atul and had reached a settlement demand of Rs 3 crore. Additionally, he said that his brother was made fun of in court and told he would either pay the amount or die.

On the other hand, Nikita’s family said that Subhash’s demand for a large dowry was a factor in Nikita’s father’s death.