Techie Suicide Case: The Supreme Court Establishes Eight Criteria for Determining Alimony

In the midst of the ongoing controversy surrounding the death of techie Atul Subhash of Bengaluru, who claimed that his wife and in-laws had harassed him, the Supreme Court established an eight-point methodology for determining the amount of alimony.

Atul Subhash, a Bihar native, filmed an 80-minute video in which he accused his estranged wife Nikita Singhania and her family of hitting him and his family with several cases in order to extract money from them before he took the drastic measure. In his 24-page suicide note, he also attacked the legal system.

When determining the amount of alimony in a divorce case, the Supreme Court bench of Justices Vikram Nath and PV Varale instructed other courts nationwide to base their rulings on the considerations outlined in the ruling.

The eight points are:

• Social and economic status of husband and wife
• Basic needs of wife and children in the future
• Qualification and employment of both parties
• Means of income and property
• Wife's standard of living while living in in-laws' house
• Has she left her job to take care of the family?
• Reasonable amount for a legal battle for a wife who is not working
• What will be the financial status of the husband, his earnings and other responsibilities along with alimony?

"It is also necessary to ensure that the amount of permanent alimony should not penalise the husband but should be made with the aim of ensuring a decent standard of living for the wife," quoted the top court.

A larger discussion about the abuse of dowry laws in India has been rekindled by the Atul Subhash case. Concerns about the increasing tendency to abuse Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with cruelty committed against married women by husbands and their family members, have already been voiced by the Supreme Court.

The Bengaluru techie demanded justice in his suicide note, which was 24 pages long and included the words "Justice is Due" on each page. In 2019, Atul and Nikita got married after meeting on a dating service. The next year, the couple welcomed a boy into the world.

According to Atul Subhash, his wife's family would frequently demand payments totalling several lakhs. In 2021, his wife and their son left the Bengaluru home as he refused to give them additional money. He added that his wife and her family had first sought ₹1 crore to resolve the matter but have since increased their demand to ₹3 crore.