What is Abetment of Suicide?
Abetment of suicide involves encouraging or inciting someone to take their own life, making the accused liable if their actions leave the deceased feeling they have no other option.
Abetment of suicide is an offence under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)).
The punishment for this crime is up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine.
SC’s Interpretation
The Supreme Court stated that abetment occurs when the accused's actions create "direct and alarming encouragement" that leads to suicide.
The court set forth key factors to assess abetment, including:
Whether the accused created conditions that made the victim perceive suicide as the only escape.
If the accused exploited the victim’s emotional vulnerabilities, making them feel worthless.
If there were threats of harm or financial ruin.
If false claims damaged the victim's reputation, leading to humiliation and loss of dignity.
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