Bengaluru Techie's Wife Nikita Gets Bail Amid Explosive 'Using Son as ATM' Allegations

A day after Nikita Singhania was granted bail, her father-in-law, Pawan Kumar Modi, voiced concerns about the whereabouts of his grandson. Expressing his dissatisfaction with the court's decision, he accused Nikita of lacking affection for her child and using him as a financial tool. According to Modi, the Karnataka Police provided some updates on the child's location, but he remained deeply worried.

Modi revealed that Nikita had sent her son to a boarding school in Faridabad when he was just three years old, a decision he called unlawful. He pointed out that the child, born in 2020, would turn four this February. Modi alleged that Nikita was exploiting her son to secure bail, using him as a means to extract money.

On January 4, the City Civil Court in Bengaluru granted bail to Nikita, her mother Nisha Singhania, and her brother Anurag Singhania. The three had been arrested for their alleged involvement in abetting the suicide of Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash. Nikita was arrested in Gurugram, Haryana, while her mother and brother were taken into custody in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.

Atul, an employee at a private firm in Bengaluru, died by suicide on December 9. He left behind an 80-minute video and a detailed 24-page note outlining the emotional turmoil and harassment he endured. In these accounts, Atul accused his wife, her relatives, and a family court judge from Uttar Pradesh of mental torture, false accusations, and extortion. He further alleged that Nikita had requested ₹3 crore to resolve their disputes.

The pair tied the knot in 2019 and had a son in 2020. Since Atul’s death, his parents have been seeking custody of their grandson. They claim they have no information about the child's whereabouts and believe he would be safer with them. Modi said that despite enduring harassment from his wife and in-laws, Atul kept his struggles to himself. He mentioned that Atul's suicide note expressed a wish for his parents to be given custody of the child.

Modi accused Nikita of exploiting their grandson for financial gain. He claimed she initially demanded ₹20,000 to ₹40,000 as child support, later escalating her requests to ₹80,000, and eventually more. The family has approached the Supreme Court, seeking custody of the child and asserting that he would be better off with them.

Atul's legal counsel argued that the accused should not be allowed to use the child as leverage to gain bail. The lawyer emphasized the gravity of the crime and revealed that a habeas corpus petition had been filed in the Supreme Court. The court has since directed authorities in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Haryana to locate the child. Further decisions regarding custody will be made once the child is found.

Police investigations revealed that on December 8, a day before Atul's death, Nikita checked into a paying guest (PG) accommodation in Gurugram. She registered her name, paid rent for the month starting December 9, and left that same evening. Sources stated that while her belongings remain at the PG, she did not stay there during this period.

As the case unfolds, Atul Subhash’s family awaited the January 7 Supreme Court hearing, hoping to secure their grandson’s custody and ensure his well-being.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)