Rajat Sharma Blog: Lesson from Atul's Suicide: Change in Dowry Law - eSHOP24X7

Today, with a very sad heart, I want to tell you about the painful suicide of a 34-year-old young man. This software engineer committed suicide after being fed up with the false cases filed by his wife and the demand for Rs 3 million. This case is an example of how cruel our anti-dowry law is, how it can be misused and how this blind law ruined a young man and his entire family. He got tired of walking around the field. He continued crying in front of the police with his hands crossed and when there was no hope for justice, he committed suicide by hanging himself.

Before embracing death, Atul wrote a 24-page note. Then I made a video of an hour and a half. He told his whole story, told his last wish, then wrote and posted on the wall that justice must be done and committed suicide by hanging. What Atul Subhash wrote in his suicide note, what he said in his last video, will give you goosebumps. Atul was a software engineer, he had a good job in Bengaluru, a good salary, but in the last three years due to differences with his wife, the matter went to court. A case was registered under the anti-dowry law. Then 9 cases were recorded one after another.

Atul faced problems while traveling from Bengaluru to Jaunpur to appear in court, his parents and brother were also involved in the cases. The wife asked for Rs 3 million for the settlement. Instead of getting justice from the courts, we kept getting date after date. Atul became so upset with the system that he preferred death to life. Now the Bengaluru police will question Atul’s wife and his family members. A case has been registered for forcing Atul to commit suicide. But what will happen with this? The son of those elderly parents, who was the sustenance of their old age, will not return. Today, whoever saw the photos of Atul’s mother crying loudly and falling unconscious, her heart burst.

Atul’s death once again raised questions about the dowry law. Questions were raised about our justice system. It is true that nothing is important in life, death is not the solution to any problem. But Atul’s death forced everyone to think. Atul Subhash’s parents live in Samastipur, Bihar. He committed suicide in Bengaluru on Monday night. Before committing suicide, Atul wrote a suicide note, uploaded his video, sent emails related to his case to his acquaintances and an NGO. Along with this, he also sent a mail to the High Court and the Supreme Court and told his entire story.

Atul wrote that he is fed up with his wife Nikita Singhania and her family. Instead of getting justice from the courts, we get date after date. Atul wrote in the suicide note that his parents and brother were also suffering due to the litigation against them. There is only one way to get rid of these problems: suicide. Atul’s wife lives in Delhi and is a software engineer. The wife filed 9 separate cases against Atul under section 498 of IPC along with many other sections in Jaunpur.

Atul said in his video that more than 120 hearings have been scheduled in the last two years. They receive only 23 sheets a year. But he has made 40 trips from Bengaluru to Jaunpur to appear in court. Every time I have nothing but problems and a new appointment. Atul said that his wife has implicated his entire family in a false case. Apart from the dowry harassment, he has also filed a complaint of assault, threats and even murder against his father. Atul said the wife is also demanding Rs 30 lakh in return for being reunited with her four-year-old son. He can’t see his parents and brother hanging around the court, nor can he get away from his son, nor can he pay so much money. Therefore, the only way to achieve salvation is by giving up one’s life.

In his suicide note, Atul wrote about his mother-in-law Nisha Singhania. Atul has written that his mother-in-law asked him why he has not committed suicide yet. Responding to this, Atul said that if he dies, how will his party function? Atul wrote in the suicide note that after this his mother-in-law said that the party will still continue, his father will give him the money, after the death of the husband everything belongs to the wife. In his video, Atul described this matter of his mother-in-law as the main reason for his suicide and said that the entire game is carried out only with the money she gave him. Therefore, if you commit suicide, this matter will also end.

Atul expressed his last wish in the video. He advised his relatives to never meet his wife Nikita Singhania or his relatives without a camera or two to four people accompanying him, otherwise he would make fresh allegations. Atul said that after his death, his wife and no member of his family should be allowed near his mortal remains. In his video, Atul raised serious questions about the functioning of the lower-level judiciary. Among the five people he held responsible for his death, the first name is that of the judge of the Jaunpur Family Court.

Atul alleges that the Family Court judge supports his wife and family in their harassment. He had asked for money in exchange for solving the case. Court clerks also used to take money and set dates that would get them in trouble. Atul said he hoped at least his family would get justice after the suicide. Atul said in his latest video that if action is not taken against the judge and the corrupt employees of the court even after his death, then his ashes should be thrown into the drain outside the court.

This statement by Atul is a severe attack on our system. It is a coincidence that on Tuesday itself the Supreme Court also expressed concern over the misuse of the anti-dowry law. Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotishwar Singh said Section 498A was added to the IPC to protect women from dowry harassment, but now this law is being used more to implicate the husband and his family. The Supreme Court said that when domestic disputes escalate, it is often seen that the wife and her family file a case against the husband’s entire family so that their demands can be met. The Supreme Court advised the lower courts to treat dowry cases very carefully; if the wife makes accusations against her husband’s entire family, then they should investigate such cases closely.

Atul Subhash’s suicide raises many questions. Was it Atul’s fault that he had a breakup with his wife? Was it his fault that he didn’t have 3 million rupees for the deal? Was it his fault for not paying money to some people in court? How painful it can be for anyone to go from Bengaluru to Jaunpur again and again to fight a case. Losing hope that the court will deliver justice can cause a lot of pain. Atul’s case is a clear example of this. It is necessary to listen carefully and understand what the Supreme Court said about the dowry law.

The Supreme Court said that the dowry law was created to protect women from dowry harassment. But now, in any family dispute, this law is used to implicate the husband and his family. Actually Section 498A of IPC is the law under which police can arrest without warrant and in this case there is no bail. Twenty times these cases have come before the Supreme Court and the High Court and the courts have repeatedly said that before lodging an FIR in a family dispute, the police should conduct a preliminary investigation.

There should be a family welfare committee in each district to reach an agreement, but nothing happened. There are two decisions of the court that need to be mentioned here. The Calcutta High Court had said that the women had created “legal terror” by misusing Section 498A and the Allahabad High Court had said that “all matters relating to marriage” were riddled with allegations of related harassment. with the dowry. . If its misuse continues like this, it will “completely destroy” the institution of marriage.

Despite strong warnings from the courts, this law remains as it is and thousands of families have been ruined. Thousands of elderly parents are in jail. There is no hope for justice. Atul’s case points towards this tragedy. His mother asks for justice with her hands folded, but this law is so strict that any wife can use it to torture her husband and force him to commit suicide. And this opinion has been repeatedly expressed by the courts.

That is why if any lesson is to be learned from Atul Subhash’s death, then it would be that this law must be drafted in such a way that no one can misuse it. So no Atul should be forced to commit suicide due to false cases. Atul had written on the wall that justice is yet to be achieved. However, it is difficult to say when Atul will get justice and our leaders will have time to consider the anti-dowry law, because instead of considering the people’s problems, there is an uproar in Parliament over other issues. (Rajat Sharma)

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