**Marital Quarrels Can’t Be Termed as Abetment to Suicide: Allahabad High Court**
*By Snehil Singh | October 4, 2025, 4:28 PM*
The Allahabad High Court has ruled that marital discord and domestic disputes cannot be considered as abetment to suicide. This significant ruling was delivered in a case involving Rachna Devi and her parents from Auraiya district, Uttar Pradesh.
### Case Background
The case dates back to November 14, 2022, when an FIR was registered under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The victim, married to Rachna Devi for approximately seven years, died by suicide on November 13, 2022. The FIR alleged continuous harassment and humiliation by his wife and in-laws.
### Incident Details
The complaint specifically mentioned an incident on November 8, 2022, when Rachna Devi’s parents visited the matrimonial home. During a quarrel, they allegedly told their son-in-law that “he should die.” After the victim’s death, his father lodged the FIR. It is notable that Rachna Devi had earlier filed a case against her husband under IPC sections related to dowry.
### Allahabad High Court’s Ruling
The single-judge bench of Justice Sameer Jain allowed the criminal revision petition filed by Rachna Devi and her parents against an order of the Sessions Judge of Auraiya.
The court observed that marital quarrels are common occurrences and cannot be equated with abetment of suicide. It emphasized that even if a spouse or family member utters words such as “he/she should die” during a quarrel, this does not constitute an offense under Section 306 of the IPC.
Justice Jain highlighted that the key element for a conviction under this section is the intention to abet suicide, which must be clearly established.
### Evidence and Legal Interpretation
The High Court noted that the trial court had dismissed the discharge application without a thorough analysis of the evidence. Upon reviewing witness statements, the court found no clear proof of instigation or intentional aid leading to suicide.
Citing precedents set by the Supreme Court, the judgment reaffirmed that mere harassment or casual, heated remarks during disputes cannot be expanded into criminal abetment unless such actions leave the victim with no option but to end their life.
—
This ruling underscores the importance of intention and clear evidence when applying Section 306 IPC and reinforces that not every marital dispute should be viewed through a criminal lens.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/marital-quarrels-don-t-amount-to-suicide-abetment-allahabad-high-court/story
