Who Was Puneet Khurana, Delhi Cafe Owner Who Committed Suicide Citing Torture from Wife and In-Laws

New Delhi: Within a fortnight of the Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash Suicide case, another similar case was reported, this time in the national capital. Puneet Khurana, a Delhi cafe owner committed suicide citing torture from his wife Manika Jagdish Pahwa with whom a divorce case was underway, and her family. Who was Puneet Khurana, who hanged himself to death on December 31, know all about him…

Who Was Puneet Khurana, Delhi Cafe Owner Who Committed Suicide? 

Puneet Khurana, a 40-year-old businessman who owned a cafe in New Delhi, committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan at his residence in Kalyan Vihar area of northwest Delhi. “He was found lying on the bed with a ligature mark over his neck", said the cops.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Northwest, Bhisham Singh said that the incident was reported at approximately 4:18 pm on December 31. "Soon after information, a team was immediately rushed to the spot. The team found Khurana unresponsive on his bed with a ligature mark around his neck, indicating death by hanging," he said, adding further investigation is underway. The body was transported to the BJRM Hospital and was preserved for a post-mortem examination.

The businessman, according to the family, was upset with his wife amid their ongoing divorce case. According to the family, Puneet last spoke to his wife over the phone before the incident, and the conversation was about their bakery business, in which Puneet and his wife are partners. Puneet's family has alleged that during the conversation over the phone, Puneet's wife said that he couldn't separate her from the business despite the ongoing divorce case.

The divorce process had been initiated in September, 2024. However, his wife was constantly seeking a greater stake in the business from Puneet in the form of alimony. This resulted in the mental harassment of Puneet, the victim’s family friend Jatin Khanna claimed.

Puneet Khurana's Last Phone Call with Wife Manika Jagdish Pahwa

According to the 16-minute audio recording, accessed by Republic Media Network, there has been a heated argument between Puneet Khurana and Manika Pahwa over the business. In the recording, wife is heard saying, “We are getting a divorce, but I am still a business partner. You need to clear my dues.” Videos of interactions between the husband and wife have also surfaced where the couple can be seen arguing and Puneet Khurana's wife Manika Jagdish Pahwa is seen abusing her husband, blaming him for ‘ruining her life’.

Puneet Khurana Suicide, A Mirror of Bengaluru Techie Atul Subhash Suicide Case

Puneet Khurana's suicide case is a mirror of the Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash's suicide case that was reported in mid-December, 2025. Both cases have stark similarities and the main cause of death of the men in both cases is harassment by their respective wives and their families.

Puneet Khanna reportedly recorded a 55-minute video before his death just how Atul Subhash had recorded a long suicide note. Just how Atul Subhash had claimed alimony pressure amid divorce proceedings with his wife, Puneet was in the process of divorcing his wife, a procedure that began in September. During this time, his wife allegedly demanded increasingly higher amounts of alimony from him and his family, causing significant mental harassment.

Atul Subhash, a 34-year-old deputy general manager at a private company, took his own life in his Bengaluru apartment, leaving behind a 24-page suicide note in which he accused his wife and her relatives of harassment. The note also claimed that a judge had asked for Rs 5 lakh to "settle" the case.