The Karnataka Police on Saturday arrested three persons, including the wife of 34-year-old software engineer Atul Subhash, in connection with his death by suicide due to alleged harassment, PTI reported.

On December 9, Subhash was found hanging at his house in Bengaluru’s Munnekolalu. In a 24-page suicide note and 81-minute video, the 34-year-old alleged that his wife Nikita Singhania harassed him by filing false cases against him for cruelty and by demanding Rs 2 lakh as monthly maintenance.

His suicide led to debates on social media and news outlets about whether criminal law provisions related to the payment of maintenance by husbands to their wives and cruelty by a husband against his wife were being weaponised against men.

Following his death, the police booked the accused persons under sections related to abetment of suicide and criminal act with a common intention. The accused persons were also accused of demanding Rs 3 crore to withdraw cases against Subhash and Rs 30 lakh for visitation rights to see his son.

On Saturday, Nikita Singhania was arrested in Haryana’s Gurugram while her mother, Nisha Singhania, and brother, Anuragh Singhania, were picked up from Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, Deputy Commissioner of Police Shivakumar said in an official release, ANI reported.

Subsequently, all three were brought to Bengaluru and sent to 14-day judicial custody after being produced before a local court, PTI quoted unidentified police officers as saying.

Subhash, who was from Uttar Pradesh, worked as a deputy general manager at an automobile firm in Bengaluru, The Indian Express reported. He married Nikita Singhania in 2019. However, the couple later separated. Subhash faced nine charges, including murder, dowry harassment and unnatural sex, among others. His parents were also named as accused in some of the cases.

Also read: Are Indian wives really weaponising domestic violence and maintenance laws?