A bench comprising Justices Pankaj Mithal and Ujjal Bhuyan made these observations while overturning the conviction of Kamaruddin Dastagir Sanadi by the Karnataka High Court for cheating and abetment of suicide under the IPC.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India ruled on November 29 that broken relationships, though emotionally distressing, do not automatically amount to abetment of suicide unless there is evidence of intent leading to the criminal act.
A bench comprising Justices Pankaj Mithal and Ujjal Bhuyan made these observations while overturning the conviction of Kamaruddin Dastagir Sanadi by the Karnataka High Court for cheating and abetment of suicide under the IPC.
The Court stated, “This is a case of a broken relationship, not criminal conduct.” Sanadi had been initially charged with Sections 417 (cheating), 306 (abetment of suicide), and 376 (rape) of the IPC.
While the trial court acquitted him of all charges, the Karnataka High Court convicted him of cheating and abetment of suicide, sentencing him to five years in prison with a Rs 25,000 fine.
The case after an FIR filed by the mother of a 21-year-old woman who had been in a relationship with Sanadi for eight years. She died by suicide in August 2007 after he reneged on his promise to marry her.
In a 17-page judgment, Justice Mithal examined the woman’s two dying declarations and found no evidence of a physical relationship or any intentional act leading to the suicide. The Court emphasized that while broken relationships are emotionally painful, they do not inherently constitute a criminal offense.
The judgment further clarified that even in cases of suicide resulting from cruelty, the courts typically recognize that discord in relationships is common, and the offense depends largely on the victim’s mental state.
“Unless there is clear evidence of the accused’s guilty intent, it is not possible to convict him under Section 306 IPC,” the Court stated, adding that the mere refusal to marry, even after a prolonged relationship, does not amount to abetment of suicide.
