Bengaluru techie suicide: FIR registered against wife, four others for alleged abetment

Atul Subhash, a 34-year-old software engineer from Bengaluru, was found dead by suicide on Dec 9, leaving behind a 40-page note detailing the reasons for taking this extreme step.

Originally from Uttar Pradesh, the engineer accused his wife and her family of mental harassment and extortion in the note and a video shared with an NGO before his death. The Marathahalli police confirmed they were investigating the allegations.

However, Education Post could not independently verify the authenticity of the note.

Marathahalli Police Inspector Anil Kumar said the case came to light early morning of Dec 9 when neighbors alerted authorities. “We were informed around 6 a.m. and immediately visited the location. The autopsy was conducted at CV Raman Nagar Government Hospital, and the body was handed over to the family on Dec 10,” he said.

The deceased's brother lodged a formal complaint, prompting police to file an FIR against the wife, her mother, brother, and uncle under Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 108 (abetment of suicide). “They allegedly demanded ₹3 crore to resolve ongoing legal disputes. We have launched an investigation based on the complaint,” Kumar added.

The suicide note, shared with the Save Indian Family Foundation via WhatsApp, detailed the engineer’s emotional and financial struggles. He appealed for justice for his family and expressed deep love for his four-year-old son, even leaving behind a gift for him, requesting that it be delivered after his passing.

The couple, who married in 2019 after meeting through a matrimonial website, reportedly faced severe marital issues starting in 2021. The wife allegedly left their Bengaluru residence with their son and, along with her family, began making hefty financial demands. When these were not met, she purportedly filed multiple cases against him, including charges of attempted murder, dowry harassment, and sexual misconduct.

Police revealed the techie faced over 40 court notices within a year, necessitating frequent travel between Bengaluru and Uttar Pradesh. The legal battles reportedly drained him financially and emotionally, forcing him to take numerous leaves from work and incur significant travel expenses.

The note also contained serious accusations of judicial misconduct. The deceased described an interaction with a judge in Uttar Pradesh, alleging the judge mocked him and demanded a ₹5 lakh bribe to settle one of the cases against him, according to an unnamed investigating officer.

Additionally, the engineer mentioned about an encounter with his mother-in-law, who allegedly taunted him about not ending his life sooner.

When he responded that his death would leave no one to pay the demanded money, she reportedly suggested his father would take responsibility and that his parents would eventually pass away, leaving the funds behind.

In the note, the techie criticized the Indian legal system, alleging that it enabled the exploitation of men through false accusations. “The harder I work and succeed professionally, the more my family and I suffer from harassment and extortion,” he reportedly wrote.

He expressed hope that his death might spare his parents and brother from further persecution, believing that without him, his accusers would lose any financial incentive.