 "After Bengaluru techie, Delhi cafe owner dies by suicide amid divorce dispute: What we know so far")
A few days after the Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash’s suicide case came to light, another similar incident has emerged in Delhi, allegedly involving mental torture and harassment by a wife and her family.
Puneet Khurana, a 40-year-old businessman, died by hanging from a ceiling fan at his home in the Kalyan Vihar area of northwest Delhi.
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Khurana’s family has accused his wife and in-laws of being responsible for his death. Police have seized his mobile phone and initiated an investigation into the case.
What are the allegations?
The family of Puneet Khurana has alleged that his estranged wife, Manika Pahwa, and her family subjected him to mental harassment, which they claim drove him to take his own life.
They accused Manika of repeatedly demanding her share of their bakery business, India Today reported. Puneet’s father told the media that the family allegedly threatened him daily over financial and property matters.
#WATCH | 40 -year old Puneet Khurana dies allegedly by suicide, his family levels charges of harassment against his wife and in-laws
— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2025
The deceased's sister says, "Manika Pahwa, her sister and parents mentally tortured and harassed him. There is a video recording of around 59… pic.twitter.com/TfKfOBIZIE
The deceased’s sister revealed that Puneet had recorded a 59-minute video detailing the harassment he faced.
Speaking to ANI, she said, “Manika Pahwa, her parents and her sister forced my brother, stressed him out, instigated him by saying, ‘you can’t do anything, die by suicide if you dare’. There is a video recording of around 59 minutes, in which Puneet has mentioned details of harassment he faced. The woman had even hacked Puneet’s social media account.”
When asked about the reason for their dispute, the sister explained that Puneet and Manika had previously divided their bakery business after signing divorce papers. Puneet was supposed to manage ‘For God’s Bakery’, while Manika took ownership of ‘Woodbox Cafe’. However, she allegedly continued to demand her share from Puneet.
“The matter had already been decided in court, so she should have raised it there. Instead, she kept calling him and demanding her share,” the sister added.
#WATCH | Delhi | Deceased Puneet's mother says, "She (Puneet's wife) used to keep torturing him...I want justice for him." pic.twitter.com/DHQt9mNU2E
— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2025
Puneet’s mother also shared her anguish, saying, “She (Puneet’s wife) used to keep torturing him… I want justice for him.”
Relations between the couple, who co-owned ‘Woodbox Cafe’ and married in 2016, had reportedly been strained for some time.
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‘You need to clear my dues’
A 16-minute audio recording has also surfaced, reportedly throwing light on a heated argument between Puneet Khurana and his wife over their business property, according to NDTV. Khurana’s wife says in the recording, “We are getting a divorce, but I am still a business partner. You need to clear my dues.”
Jatin Khanna, the brother of Khurana’s brother-in-law, revealed that the couple had been living apart since 2022. “They started living separately in 2022. They tried to resolve their differences but then decided to go for a divorce. The first hearing for divorce proceedings started on September 30, 2024,” Khanna told The Indian Express.
He added that after ‘Woodbox Cafe’ shut down, Khurana started a new venture. “He opened a bakery, ‘God’s Cake’. His wife was also a co-owner of the bakery. However, disputes arose over the bakery.”
‘It is your habit to lie’
Police said that the last person Khurana spoke to was his wife, during a phone call at around 3 am on Tuesday, where they argued about the bakery business.
An audio recording accessed by India Today TV reveals details of the argument. Khurana’s wife allegedly said, “You are calling me at 3 am, can’t you sleep? You have disgraced me and my family on several occasions despite what we did for you.”
Khurana reportedly responded that such matters held no meaning at that moment and asked his wife to state her demands, adding that she could do as she wished. In her reply, his wife allegedly said he would now threaten to take his own life, leave the house, or seize control of the bakery business.
When Khurana asked her again to specify what she wanted, she suggested that he visit her the following day, to which he reportedly refused.
The wife said, as per a report by India Today, “You do not owe me anything… We have appealed for divorce but we are business partners. Our business is different. It is your habit to lie. What did I ever ask from you?” She further accused him of meeting several other women in the past.
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What did the police say?
The police said that they received information about the incident on Tuesday at approximately 4:20 pm. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found Puneet’s unresponsive body lying on a bed, with a ligature mark visible around his neck. The police later confirmed that he had died by hanging.
Khurana’s body was later taken to BJRM Hospital, where it was preserved for post-mortem examination.
Sources told ANI that Puneet and his wife, married since 2016, began facing marital issues within two years of their marriage. Divorce proceedings were initiated through mutual consent, which was ongoing in court.
Notably, Puneet’s father, Trilok Nath Khurana, produced a mobile phone to the authorities, alleging harassment by his son’s wife and in-laws. The police confirmed they had taken the deceased’s mobile phone and other relevant items into possession.
Bengaluru techie suicide case
This incident comes after the recent suicide case of Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash. The 34-year-old deputy general manager at a private firm died by suicide in December, leaving behind a 24-page note accusing his wife and her family of harassment.
ALSO READ | Atul Subhash suicide case: Did Bengaluru techie's wife, family demand Rs 3 crore, file false cases?
In his note, Subhash alleged that his wife and her relatives had filed numerous false cases against him. Days after his death, Subhash’s wife Nikita Singhania , along with her mother and brother, was arrested and remanded to 14-day judicial custody.
With inputs from agencies
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