Supreme Court Calls for Caution in Abetment of Suicide Cases

The Supreme Court has emphasized that the charge of abetment of suicide should not be automatically applied to offer solace to grieving families. They advised caution in prosecutions under Section 306 of the IPC, citing a case where charges were deemed unwarranted.

The Supreme Court has issued a warning against the mechanical application of the charge of abetment of suicide under the Indian Penal Code. The court insisted that this charge should not be used merely to comfort the distressed families of those who've passed.

Justices Abhay S. Oka and K.V. Viswanathan stressed the need to educate investigating bodies to prevent abuse of this charge, especially when no tenable grounds for prosecution exist. They highlighted the casual misuse of Section 306 by police, noting that genuine cases should be pursued, but innocent individuals should not be wrongly accused to placate grieving families.

The court's remarks came during the hearing of Mahendra Awase's case, who was charged after a suicide note claimed harassment over a loan. The bench found no grounds to convict him under Section 306, stating that Awase's actions did not constitute instigation to suicide, pointing out that the FIR was oddly filed after a substantial delay.

(With inputs from agencies.)