Goa Court Grants Extension to Police Custody for Bengaluru Startup CEO Suchana Seth in Child Murder Case
“Goa Court Extends Police Custody for Suchana Seth, Bengaluru Startup CEO, in Alleged Child Murder Case”
A Goa court has granted a five-day extension to the police custody of Suchana Seth, the Chief Executive Officer of Bengaluru-based startup ‘Mindful AI Lab,’ who is under investigation for the alleged murder of her four-year-old son. Seth, arrested on January 8, was produced before the Goa Children’s Court as her initial six-day remand expired. The Calangute Police sought the extension, citing the need for further interrogation and procedural formalities, including obtaining her DNA sample.
According to a senior police officer, Seth has not been cooperating with investigators, prompting the request for an extended custody period. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are working to unravel the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.
Seth, a recognized figure in the field of AI ethics, had been named among the ‘100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics for 2021,’ as per her LinkedIn profile. The shocking incident unfolded in a Goa service apartment, where she is accused of smothering her son and subsequently attempting to transport his body to Bengaluru. The charges against her include murder (IPC section 302), destruction of evidence (IPC section 201), and violation of the Goa Children’s Act.
On January 13, Venkat Raman, Seth’s husband, visited the Calangute police station to provide his statement. Raman, currently involved in divorce proceedings with Seth, asserted that the family court in Bengaluru had granted him visitation rights. However, he claimed that Seth had prevented him from meeting their son for the past five Sundays. Raman was out of the country in Indonesia when the tragic incident occurred.
The investigation took a significant turn on January 11 when the police recovered a brief note, allegedly written by Seth. The note, found in her luggage, is considered a potential key to understanding the motive behind the crime. Investigators painstakingly pieced together tissue fragments containing the note, shedding light on the accused’s state of mind. The content of the note suggests a reluctance to allow the son to go with the father, providing crucial insights into the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
While the exact motive for the murder is yet to be determined, Superintendent of Police in North Goa, Nidhin Valsan, indicated that Seth might have been dissatisfied with a recent court order allowing her husband to spend time with their child. The couple has been undergoing divorce proceedings since 2022, and Seth had previously accused her husband of physical abuse toward both herself and their son. She supported her claims with medical documents and WhatsApp chats, seeking a monthly alimony of ₹2.5 lakh based on her husband’s reported annual income exceeding ₹1 crore.
The case continues to unfold as investigators delve deeper into the complex web of circumstances surrounding the tragic demise of the young child, and the extension of Seth’s custody reflects the ongoing efforts to uncover the truth.)