'Love failure' doesn't constitute abetment of suicide, rules Delhi HC

New Delhi, April 17: The Delhi High Court has held that individuals cannot be held responsible for the suicide of a romantic partner due to love failure.

Justice Amit Mahajan said that for the unfortunate decision made by a person with a fragile mental state, others cannot be accused of abetting the suicide.

The judgement, delivered while granting anticipatory bail to a woman and a man in an abetment of suicide case, noted the tragic circumstances surrounding the demise of a man involved in a romantic relationship with one of the applicants.

The deceased's father had lodged a complaint alleging that the applicants, by falsely promising marriage and disclosing physical intimacy, had driven his son to suicide.

However, Justice Mahajan, after reviewing WhatsApp conversations and the alleged suicide note, noted the deceased's sensitive nature and his habit of threatening suicide whenever his romantic advances were rejected. The court said that the suicide note, though mentioning the applicants, did not contain threats of such gravity as to compel a "normal person" to contemplate suicide.

While acknowledging the anguish expressed by the deceased towards the applicants in the suicide note, the court cautioned against inferring malicious intent on their part. It said that the trial would examine the authenticity of the suicide note and whether the applicants had instigated the deceased.