SC grants custody of techie Atul Subhash’s son to mother Nikita Singhania

Earlier today, the SC asked Nikita Singhania estranged wife of a Bengaluru-based engineer who died by suicide last year, to present their minor son before the court via video-conferencing.

The Supreme Court on Monday said that the custody of the four-year-old son of Atul Subhash -- the Bengaluru techie who died by suicide, and Nikita Singhania, his estranged wife, whom he had accused of harassment leading to his death - will remain with his mother.

Earlier today, the SC asked Nikita Singhania estranged wife of a Bengaluru-based engineer who died by suicide last year, to present their minor son before the court via video-conferencing.

The verdict, delivered by Justices BV Nagarathna and SC Sharma, followed a brief interaction with the child via video link. The court emphasized that the boy had spent minimal time with his grandmother and should remain with his mother, considering his best interests.

Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice SC Sharma delivered the verdict - in response to a plea by Anju Devi, Mr Subhash's mother, who sought the boy's custody - after speaking to the child via a video link.

As the hearing began today, the petitioner sought a week's time to file a more detailed affidavit. But Justice Nagarathna dismissed any such request, and said, "This is a habeas corpus (petition)... we want to see the child. Produce the child. The court will take up the matter after some time..."

After a break of 45 minutes the boy appeared on a video link, at which time the court went offline - except for the link to the child - to protect his identity. Earlier this month Nikita Singhania had told the court the boy was a student of a boarding school in Haryana's Faridabad, and that he would be withdrawn to accompany his mother to Bengaluru.