Allahabad High Court Grants Transit Anticipatory Bail to Sushil Singhania in Abetment to Suicide Case
Last Updated on December 16, 2024 by Athi Venkatesh
The Allahabad High Court granted four weeks of transit anticipatory bail to Sushil Singhania, the uncle of the wife of Bangalore techie Atul Subhash. Subhash allegedly died by suicide, accusing his wife and her family of harassment.
Justice Ashutosh Srivastava emphasized that denying interim protection could cause irreversible harm to Singhania. The Court permitted him to approach a competent court in Karnataka, where the FIR is lodged. The FIR accuses Singhania of issuing threats and filing false cases. However, the court noted that the suicide note primarily implicated the Principal Judge of the Family Court, Jaunpur, Subhash’s wife, and her mother.
Citing the Supreme Court’s 2023 Priya Indoria judgment, the bench reaffirmed that High Courts can grant transit anticipatory bail to enable accused individuals to seek legal remedies. The Court observed, “The right to liberty, enshrined in the Constitution, cannot be curtailed without due process.”
Singhania received relief under Section 173(2) Cr.P.C., with conditions to furnish a personal bond of ₹50,000 and two sureties. The Court directed him to cooperate with the police for interrogation.Senior Counsel Manish Tiwari, representing Singhania, criticized the police’s rapid action, questioning their haste in apprehending the accused.
Atul Subhash reportedly left behind a 24-page suicide note, an 81-minute video, and a placard seeking justice. His brother, Bikas Kumar, filed the FIR in Bengaluru against Subhash’s wife Nikita, her mother, brother, and uncle. The note alleged harassment during ongoing divorce, alimony, and child custody battles in Jaunpur’s Family Court.
The Court acknowledged the arrest of other family members had rendered their anticipatory bail pleas moot, leaving only Singhania’s plea for consideration. This decision ensures Singhania can seek appropriate legal remedies while preserving his right to liberty.
