SC rejects grandmother’s custody petition in Atul Subhash’s case

The Supreme Court denied Anju Devi’s request for custody of her grandson. Anju is the mother of Atul Subhash, a techie from Bengaluru who died by suicide. Atul accused his wife Nikita and her family of harassing him and his parents. He claimed they filed false cases against them.

Atul’s mother, Anju, approached the Supreme Court for custody of the child. The court ruled that Anju was a “stranger” to the child. It suggested she could apply for guardianship under proper legal procedures.

Nikita, her mother Nisha, and her brother Anurag are accused of abetting Atul’s suicide. They are currently out on bail. Nikita was arrested by the Karnataka police for her alleged role in the case.

All alienated fathers:
Guard ur EMOTIONS & prioritize ur health. frm my experience,having suffered multiple cardiac arrests. Be strong and learn to LOVE urself. In the eyes of judiciary,U r VIRTUALLY STRANGER to Ur own children BYDEFAULT.

Sri ATULJI said #JusticeIsDue #IAmAtul pic.twitter.com/Jo8t17mcec

— SKrishnaVijay (@SKrishnaVijay) January 7, 2025

Anju also filed a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court. She wanted to know the whereabouts of her grandson, born in February 2020. She named Nikita and the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Karnataka as respondents.

During the hearing, Nikita’s lawyers informed the court about the child’s location. The child is studying at a boarding school in Haryana. The Karnataka government confirmed this in an affidavit.

The court directed the Haryana government and Nikita’s lawyers to file an affidavit with these details. The court will hear the matter again on January 20.

Anju told the court she last met the child when he was two years old. However, the court said the mother of the child has natural custody rights. The bench allowed Anju to visit the child. It stated that she must follow legal steps under the Guardians and Wards Act to seek guardianship.

The court emphasized the child’s safety and well-being. It previously discussed this matter during a hearing on December 20.

ALSO READ: Ram Charan regrets acting in THIS film