CEO Flees Goa With Son’s Body, Caught en Route Bengaluru
Bengaluru-based startup CEO Suchana Seth has been arrested for the alleged murder of her 4-year-old son in Goa. According to police reports, Seth killed her son on Friday evening at her rented apartment in Goa, before stuffing his body in a suitcase and fleeing towards Karnataka.
Seth was apprehended on Sunday night near Gokak in Belagavi district while traveling in a cab. The cab driver grew suspicious of a foul smell coming from her luggage and alerted the police at a checkpoint. Police officers discovered the child’s body in the suitcase and took Seth into custody for questioning.
According to a police source, Seth has admitted to killing her son because she did not want the child’s father to get custody. The source said, “She was not ready to share custody with her estranged husband and it led to the murder of their son.”
Acrimonious Divorce and Custody Battle Preceded Murder
Suchana Seth, 36, was the founder and CEO of Mindful AI Labs, an ethics consultancy focused on mitigating harm in artificial intelligence systems. She had filed for divorce from her Europe-based husband around six months ago and the custody battle over their son Arihaan had turned bitter.
The estranged couple was fighting a legal battle with Seth demanding Rs 2.5 lakh per month as alimony from her husband who works as a consultant in Finland. Seth had also accused her husband of domestic abuse and violence in the past.
According to Goa police sources, the four-year old had spoken to his Europe-based father over a video call just hours before he was killed.
| Timeline of Key Events |
|-|
| June 2022 | Seth files for divorce from husband |
| Dec 2022 | Custody battle for son Arihaan turns ugly |
| Jan 6, 2023 | Arihaan video calls father in Europe |
| Jan 6, 2023, evening | Arihaan found dead in Goa apartment |
| Jan 7-8 | Seth transports body to Karnataka |
| Jan 8, night | Seth apprehended en route Bengaluru |
The child was living with Seth after the separation while the father tried seeking shared custody rights.
According to police sources, Seth deliberately timed the murder to precede the couple’s upcoming family court hearing regarding custody and access. She seemingly intended to transport and dispose of the body before her husband grew alarmed, buying herself time before having to account for their missing son.
CEO Showed No Remorse, Refused to Confess Initially
The police said Seth was calm and showed no remorse when confronted with her son’s body. She refused to confess to the murder initially and claimed he was already dead when she put him in the suitcase.
Investigating officer B Ananda said, “When we recovered the body and questioned Suchana Seth, she was very cool and calm. She didn’t seem to be perturbed.”
He added, “However, later when we counselled and talked to her, she confessed to having killed her own son.”
Premeditated Murder, Say Police; Son Sedated Before Strangulation
According to investigating officials, this was a premeditated murder. Empty bottles and used syringes of cough syrup were found in Seth’s Goa apartment, indicating she had sedated Arihaan before killing him.
The most likely cause of death as per the post-mortem report is strangulation. Trauma marks were also found on the child’s body.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant promised a thorough investigation saying, “It is a very unfortunate incident. The crime branch has been directed to ensure full justice.”
Funeral in Bengaluru; Father Gets Custody of Body
Arihaan’s body was transported from Goa via ambulance and reached Bengaluru on Tuesday morning. The custody was handed over to the estranged father who performed the last rites later in the day.
Seth had remained in police custody and was not present at the funeral. She could face life imprisonment or even capital punishment if found guilty of the alleged murder.
Conclusion
In a tragic turn of events, an acrimonious divorce and ugly custody battle has resulted in the loss of an innocent life. Suchana Seth, a leading voice in AI ethics research herself, now stands accused of the premeditated murder of her own child of 4 years.
The case is still unfolding but has already sent shockwaves through startup circles and flagged concerns about high-conflict divorces. It remains to be seen whether Seth confesses fully to this grievous crime that has tarnished her reputation overnight.
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