In a significant turn in a custody dispute, the Supreme Court directed Nikita Singhania, the widow of Bengaluru-based engineer Atul Subhash who died by suicide last year, to present their minor son via video conference. The order was issued during a hearing of a habeas corpus petition filed by Anju Devi, the child’s paternal grandmother, seeking custody.
Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma presided over the case, emphasizing the urgency of seeing the child to assess his current condition and environment. “This is a habeas corpus petition. We want to see the child. Produce the child,” the bench commanded, to which Singhania’s counsel responded affirmatively, promising to comply within 30 minutes.
The child, who is four years old, had reportedly dropped out of school in Haryana and was living with his mother. The legal battle for his custody intensified after the tragic death of his father, Atul Subhash, on December 9 last year. Subhash was found deceased in his home in Bengaluru’s Munnekolalu neighborhood, leaving behind messages that accused his wife and her family of contributing to his despair.
Previously on January 7, the Supreme Court had denied Anju Devi custody of her grandson, stating she was “stranger to the child.” This decision underscored the complex nature of custody disputes, especially involving minors in emotionally charged circumstances.
