In Brief
Naresh Kumar was convicted of abetting his wife Rani's suicide under Section 306 IPC after she consumed poison in 1993, following repeated family demands for money to start a ration shop. The High Court affirmed the conviction relying partly on Section 113A of the Evidence Act. The Supreme Court set aside the conviction, holding that mere financial demands and the wife's resulting tension do not constitute the cogent, proximate incitement required for abetment of suicide. The Court emphasized that conviction requires clear mens rea and evidence of direct acts of instigation, not just suspicion or moral judgment. The appellant was acquitted as the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
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