SuicideAbetment – Delhi High Court Grants Bail in Breakup Case
SuicideAbetment – The Delhi High Court has observed that the end of a romantic relationship, by itself, may not amount to instigation under criminal law in cases involving alleged abetment of suicide. The court made the remarks while granting bail to a man accused of driving his former partner to take her life.
Court Examines Nature of Instigation
The case came up before Justice Manoj Jain, who was hearing a plea filed by the accused seeking relief from custody. The woman, who had been in a relationship with the man for nearly eight years, died by suicide five days after he married someone else.
While considering the matter, the court emphasized that for an offence of abetment to be made out, the element of instigation must be clear and compelling. It noted that the alleged provocation must be of such intensity that it leaves the person with no reasonable alternative but to end their life.
The judge pointed out that the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death would require careful examination during trial. Only a full-fledged trial, the court said, could determine whether her decision stemmed from direct provocation, emotional vulnerability, or some other personal factor.
No Dying Declaration, Long Relationship History
In its order, the court recorded that there was no dying declaration left behind by the deceased. It also took into account that the couple had been involved for several years without any prior complaint of harassment or coercion from the woman during that time.
Another aspect that weighed with the court was the time gap between the end of communication between the two and the date of the suicide. The bench observed that there was a considerable interval between their separation and the woman’s death, which would need to be evaluated during trial proceedings.
The court remarked that while emotional distress following a breakup is not uncommon, such situations do not automatically meet the legal threshold required to constitute abetment under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. It stressed that heartbreak alone cannot be equated with criminal instigation unless accompanied by clear evidence of deliberate provocation.
Bail Granted Pending Trial
After assessing the available material, the High Court granted bail to the accused. The court clarified that its observations were limited to the bail stage and should not influence the outcome of the trial, where evidence will be examined in detail.
The ruling highlights the judiciary’s approach in distinguishing between emotional fallout in personal relationships and criminal liability. Legal experts note that courts generally require a direct and proximate link between the accused’s actions and the suicide to establish abetment.
Separate Plea on Ahmedabad Plane Crash Dismissed
In a separate matter, the Delhi High Court declined to entertain a petition seeking additional details about the Air India plane crash that occurred in Ahmedabad in June last year.
The petitioner had sought specific information, including the precise moment when the aircraft’s fuel switch allegedly shifted from “run” to “cut-off.” However, the bench observed that it was not equipped to act as an expert authority in technical aviation matters, particularly when an official investigation was still underway.
The court said that interfering with the preliminary findings of an ongoing probe would not be appropriate. It added that specialized agencies tasked with examining aviation incidents are better suited to assess technical data and determine the sequence of events leading to the crash.
With these observations, the High Court dismissed the plea, reiterating that judicial intervention must remain within defined limits, especially in matters requiring domain-specific expertise.