New Delhi:

A CCTV video has shown Delhi cafe owner Puneet Khurana, who died by suicide, having a conversation with his estranged wife Manika Pahwa. The video of the expletive-laden exchange shows Pahwa accusing Khurana of ruining her life. “I will go to your locality and create a scene. They keep crying on the phone,” she is heard saying.

Khurana (40) was found hanging in his room in Model Town’s Kalyan Vihar area on New Year’s Eve. He had spoken to Pahwa on Monday night and recorded the conversation, in which the couple can be heard fighting over issues related to their co-owned bakery ‘For God’s Cake’.

In the 15-minute call recording, Pahwa was heard saying, “Beggar, tell me what have you asked for. I do not want to see your face. If you come in front of me, I will slap you. If the divorce is going on, will you remove me from the business? Then you will say, if you threaten me, I will commit suicide.” In response, the man dismissed her grievances, saying, “All of this doesn’t matter anymore. Just tell me what you want.”

Pahwa and Khurana got married in 2016 and started the Woodbox Cafe together. After a year-and-a-half of being married, their relationship soured and by mutual consent, they moved court for a divorce.

Khurana’s family alleged that Pahwa made five demands to settle their divorce, including Rs 70,000 per month, lawyer’s fee. She also allegedly threatened to send the man and his family to jail if her demands were not met.

The man’s family also said that their son made a video recording in his phone in which he has accused Pahwa of pressuring him over property and business, eventually pushing him to take the drastic step. Khurana’s mother claimed Pahwa kept torturing her son and he suffered in silence. “The two shared the business, they would have disputes over it. He would not say anything openly to us, thinking we would be upset. He kept swallowing his grief. My son was doing well, but she tortured him so much yesterday that he took this step,” she said.

Khurana’s phone, which has the video, is with the Delhi Police as part of investigation into the case.

A week before the suicide, Pahwa had put up a cryptic post on social media stating that she had been subjected to “toxicity and narcissistic abuse” and was now free. Referring to her abusers as insecure cowards, Ms Pahwa said virtues like kindness and love are more important than money.

Khurana’s death comes at the heels of techie Atul Subhash’s suicide in Bengaluru last month. The 34-year-old deputy general manager of a private firm left behind a 24-page suicide note, accusing his wife and her relatives of harassment. According to the victim, his wife and her family had filed a slew of false cases against him.

“The more I work hard and become better at my work, the more l and my family will be harassed and extorted and the whole legal system will encourage and help my harassers… Now, with me gone, there won’t be any money and there won’t be any reason to harass my old parents and my brother. I may have destroyed my body but it has saved everything I believe in,” he wrote.

A few days later, Subhash’s wife Nikita Singhania, and her mother and brother were arrested and sent to 14-day judicial custody.

Less than a week before Delhi cafe owner Puneet Khurana died by suicide, his estranged wife and business partner Manika Pahwa had put up a cryptic post on social media stating that she had been subjected to “toxicity and narcissistic abuse” and was now free. The couple, co-owners of the popular Woodbox Cafe in Delhi, were going through a divorce.

Khurana (40) was found hanging in his room in Model Town’s Kalyan Vihar area on New Year’s Eve. He had spoken to Manika on Monday night and recorded the conversation, in which the couple can be heard fighting over issues related to the business.

Khurana’s family has blamed Ms Pahwa for his death and said she “instigated him” to die by suicide. 

In her post on Instagram from six days ago, Ms Pahwa said she is healing well “after all the toxicity and narcissistic abuse” and was trying to “be better and to be indifferent” every day.

Without naming anyone, she said higher powers would decide what was best for her “abusers”. 

“Well feminism suits me, as idealistic values are my core & feminism means giving & getting mere respect. To one another. No slave treatment, and no stopping some girl to speak her mind (sic). Even a house help, guard, rikshawala, a tiny kid deserves respectful treatment. Once a coward fought with me that ‘respect has to be earned’. Ufff! What disgrace na? I disagree, respect has to be given to each and everyone. If not then you lost the respect baby. Phew! Maybe that’s why in India, we address people with ‘aap’, ‘bhaiya’, ‘didi’ to even strangers, isn’t it?” she wrote.

Referring to her abusers as insecure cowards, Ms Pahwa said virtues like kindness and love are more important than money. 

“I just wish these abusers get to see the mirror someday and understand..that kindness, love, understanding, trust,wisdom, affection & care all are true virtues & hold much more importance than money,property & gold. God bless the unkind ones. I know nobody can change, but let’s just pray, nobody else should suffer because of some bunch of insecure cowards. My tribe, pray with me..okay? love you all… I am free, and the beautiful ruins are part of me,” she wrote.

‘Stressed Him Out’

On Wednesday, Khurana’s sister told news agency ANI that Ms Pahwa had instigated him. 

“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’. Puneet shot a video before his death, it is on his phone, he has said everything, about how Manika and his parents pressured him mentally. They threatened to throw our parents out and dared him to open his shop’s shutter. They kept abusing him,” she said.

She claimed the division of the business had been laid out clearly, but Ms Pahwa kept asking for her share from the other part too. 

“They earlier ran the bakery business in partnership. But when the first motion for divorce was signed, it was decided and put in writing that Puneet would manage For God’s bakery and Manika would get Woodbox Cafe. It was signed. Even after that, she kept saying that she won’t leave her share. When the matter has been decided in court, go and raise the issue there. She kept calling him and demanding her share,” the sister said.

Khurana’s mother also claimed Ms Pahwa kept torturing her son and he suffered in silence. 

“The two shared the business, they would have disputes over it. He would not say anything openly to us, thinking we would be upset. He kept swallowing his grief. My son was doing well, but she tortured him so much yesterday that he took this step,” she said.

The couple got married in 2016 and had been separated for two years. Khurana’s family has filed a police complaint and sought action against Ms Pahwa and her family.