Gauhati HC rules breakups don’t constitute abetment to suicide

Guwahati, Jan 9: Breaking up in a relationship and heartbreak are part of everybody's life, and such an act does not amount to instigation for committing suicide, the Gauhati High Court ruled on Wednesday.

The court made the observation while granting bail to Raj Kapil Khaound, an accused arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 30-year-old woman in Guwahati on New Year's Eve.

Following her death, the woman's mother lodged an FIR with the officer in charge of the Chandmari police station. Based on the FIR, the police registered a case (Chandmari Police Station Case No. 1/2025) under Sections 108, 69, 61(2), 351(2), and 351(3) of BNS, 2023, and arrested Khaound, who had previously been in a live-in relationship with the deceased.

Representing the accused, advocates Bijon Mahajan and Arshad Chaudhury argued that the arrest was based on the claim that Khaound had caused mental harassment to the deceased, leading to her depression. However, they contended that this did not amount to instigation or abetment of suicide.

Mahajan also cited a decision by the Supreme Court of India in the case 'Kamaruddin Dastagir Sanadi vs. State of Karnataka' to support his argument.

D Das, the Additional Public Prosecutor, represented the State of Assam.

After hearing both sides, the Court concluded that breakups and heartbreaks are common life experiences, and such actions cannot be classified as instigation for suicide.

The Court also observed that, under the circumstances, the accused's arrest was unwarranted.

Khaound was allowed to go on bail of Rs 20,000, to be furnished to the satisfaction of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (Metro), Guwahati.

Meanwhile, another arrested accused, Manab Jyoti Koch, who had been living with the deceased for the past three months, was also arrested by the police, and he is currently in judicial custody.

By-

Staff Reporter