Last week in Bengaluru, the headlines were dominated by the arrest of Suchana Seth, a startup CEO. The arrest followed an unsettling incident where Seth was apprehended while traveling in a cab with the lifeless body of her four-year-old son concealed in a bag.
In a significant development, Goa police officials have discovered a note penned by Seth inside a suitcase, using eyeliner. The note sheds light on her overwhelming frustration and guilt, detailing the pressure exerted by the court and her husband, Venkat Raman, to relinquish custody of her son.
The note mentions, “Court and my husband pressuring me to give custody of my son. I cannot take it anymore…My ex-husband is violent…he used to teach bad manners to son. I am extremely guilty and frustrated. I love my son but I did not want to see him meeting his father.”
Although Seth admitted to writing the note, she maintained her innocence, insisting that she did not cause harm to her son.
Seth’s arrest occurred during her journey from Goa to Karnataka in a cab. The driver recounted her demeanor during the 600 km, 16-hour trip, noting that she appeared quiet and indifferent. Seth agreed to pay Rs 30,000 for the journey without engaging in negotiation or asking many questions. The cab driver, Ray John, remarked, “She seemed to be in a great hurry when she booked the cab. But at Chorla Ghat, she was quiet and indifferent as if she had all the time in the world.”
The postmortem report revealed that the four-year-old boy had been smothered, possibly with a pillow or a towel.