Supreme Court issues 8-point guidelines for deciding alimony amid techie suicide case
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has outlined an eight-point framework for determining alimony amounts, amidst growing discussions around the misuse of dowry laws following the suicide of Bengaluru-based techie Atul Subhash.
Atul Subhash, a native of Bihar, died by suicide after reportedly facing harassment from his wife and in-laws. Before his death, he left behind an 80-minute video and a 24-page note accusing his estranged wife, Nikita Singhania, and her family of using multiple legal cases to extort money from him and his family.
While addressing a divorce case on Tuesday, a bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice PV Varale directed courts across the country to consider the following eight factors when determining permanent alimony:
1. Social and economic status of the husband and wife.
2. Basic future needs of the wife and children.
3. Qualifications and employment status of both parties.
4. Sources of income and property.
5. Wife’s standard of living during her stay with in-laws.
6. Whether the wife left her job to manage the family.
7. Reasonable expenses for legal battles for a non-working wife.
8. Husband’s financial status, including earnings and responsibilities alongside alimony.
The court clarified that these guidelines are not a rigid formula but serve as considerations to ensure a fair and equitable decision. It emphasised that alimony should not impose an undue burden on the husband but should enable the wife to maintain a decent standard of living.
Earlier in the day, another Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh, dismissed a dowry case, noting that Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code—meant to address cruelty by husbands and their relatives—is sometimes misused for personal vendetta.
The case of Atul Subhash has reignited debates over the misuse of dowry laws in India. In his suicide note, Subhash repeatedly wrote, “Justice is Due.”
Atul and Nikita had met through a matchmaking website and married in 2019. They became parents to a son in 2020. According to Subhash, his wife’s family allegedly demanded money amounting to several lakhs. After he refused, his wife reportedly left their Bengaluru home with their son in 2021. Subhash alleged that her family initially sought ₹1 crore to settle the case, later increasing the demand to ₹3 crore.
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2 children killed in bomb attack in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): Two children were killed and their mother was injured in a bomb attack in Manipur's Bishnupur district on Tuesday, triggering protests by locals, police said.
The incident occurred at around 1 am when a bomb was hurled by suspected militants at a house in Moirang Tronglaobi area, killing a 5-year-old boy and a six-month-old girl, a senior officer said.
The two children and their mother were sleeping in their bedroom when the bomb exploded in the house, he said.
Locals staged a protest this morning and torched two oil tankers and a truck near a petrol pump in the area. They burnt tyres in front of the Moirang Police Station and destroyed a makeshift police outpost.
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Security forces have been deployed in the area to control the situation, the officer said.
Low-lying Moirang Tronglaobi is located close to hill areas of Churachandpur and witnessed consistent gun firing during the ethnic conflict between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups in 2023 and 2024.
An explosive device was also recovered in a nearby area of Tronglaobi on Tuesday, another senior officer said.
Local NPP MLA Th Shanti Singh condemned the "brutal attack at Tronglaobi, allegedly carried out by Kuki narco-terrorists".
"This heinous act is nothing less than an act of terrorism. Such inhuman acts have no place in our society and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms," he said.
"I offer my heartfelt tributes to the innocent lives lost - a 5-year-old boy and a 5-month-old baby girl - taken away in such a cold-blooded manner. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved family during this unimaginable time of grief," the MLA said.
More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023.
