NEW DELHI: The investigation into the death of Bengaluru techie Subhash Atul, who allegedly died by suicide, has intensified as a Bengaluru police team again visited the home of his estranged wife in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday.
The visit is part of a broader probe into allegations of harassment and extortion by his wife and in-laws, which Atul detailed in a 24-page suicide note and an 81-minute video.Police pasted an official notice on the front door of his wife’s house.
The notice states, “There are reasonable grounds to interrogate you to ascertain the facts and circumstances. You are directed to appear before the investigating officer at Bengaluru within 3 days.”
Family on the run’
A special police team from Bengaluru reached Jaunpur on Thursday in search of the Singhania family, who stand accused of abetting the suicide of 34-year-old.
However, the search yielded no success as the accused family members had already vacated their homes and switched off their mobile phonesAccording to Jaunpur Kotwali inspector Mithilesh Kumar Mishra, Atul’s mother-in-law, Nisha, and his brother-in-law, Anurag, were last seen leaving their house on a motorbike late Wednesday night.
When questioned by reporters stationed outside their residence, Anurag reportedly said they were heading out as his mother was unwell. Since then, their whereabouts have been unknown.
Allegations of harassment and extortion
The case revolves around serious accusations leveled against Atul’s estranged wife and her family.
It is alleged that Atul was subjected to intense mental harassment as his wife and in-laws demanded Rs 3 crore to withdraw legal cases filed against him, in addition to seeking Rs 30 lakh for visitation rights to see his own son.
In his final moments, Atul reached out to an NGO that supports men dealing with domestic violence and related legal battles. He sent an email post-Sunday night, informing the NGO that he could no longer endure the harassment and intended to end his life.
Acting swiftly, NGO staff raised an alert with the police control room in Bengaluru.
Police officers rushed to Atul’s residence and, upon receiving no response, broke down the door to his apartment. Inside the bedroom, they found his body.