In Brief
A former seven-time Member of Parliament committed suicide in February 2021, leaving a note naming administrative and police officials. The appellant (his son) filed an FIR alleging these officials conspired to harass and defame his father, driving him to suicide. The High Court quashed the FIR. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding that abetment to suicide under Section 306 IPC requires conscious intent (mens rea) in the accused and a proximate incident immediately preceding the suicide. Mere continuous harassment, however severe, without a clear final trigger, cannot establish abetment. The court found the suicide note unreliable, lacked evidence of conspiracy, and noted the deceased had approached parliamentary remedies. The decision emphasises that individual vulnerability to suicide varies and courts cannot infer the accused's intent solely from the victim's mindset.
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