In Brief
Prabhat Kumar Mishra, a District Savings Officer, was prosecuted for abetment to commit suicide and an offence under the SC/ST Act following the death of a subordinate who left a suicide note. The deceased expressed frustration about work pressure, administrative duties across two districts, and interactions with the appellant. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal and quashed the proceedings, holding that the suicide note contained no allegations of instigating or aiding suicide. The Court further ruled that prosecution under the SC/ST Act was unsustainable as the charge-sheet did not allege the offence was committed on grounds of caste. Without proof of active instigation or intent to push the deceased into suicide, the necessary ingredients of abetment were absent, making the prosecution an abuse of process.
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