**Marital Quarrels Can’t Be Termed as Abetment to Suicide: Allahabad High Court**
*By Snehil Singh | Oct 04, 2025, 04:28 PM*
The Allahabad High Court has delivered a significant ruling stating that marital discord and domestic disputes cannot be classified as abetment to suicide.
### Background of the Case
The case involves Rachna Devi and her parents from Auraiya district, Uttar Pradesh. It arose following the tragic death of Rachna Devi’s husband, who died by suicide on November 13, 2022, after approximately seven years of marriage.
An FIR was registered on November 14, 2022, under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The complaint alleged continuous harassment and humiliation by Rachna Devi and her family.
### Incident Details
The FIR referred to an incident on November 8, 2022, when Rachna Devi’s parents visited their daughter’s matrimonial home. During a quarrel, they allegedly told their son-in-law that “he should die.”
Following the husband’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.
### High Court’s Ruling on Marital Disputes
A single-judge bench, Justice Sameer Jain, allowed Rachna Devi and her parents’ criminal revision petition against the Sessions Judge of Auraiya’s order.
The court emphasized that marital quarrels are common occurrences and do not amount to abetment to suicide under Section 306 IPC. Importantly, the court clarified that even if one spouse or a family member utters words like “he/she should die,” this alone does not constitute an offense under the said section.
Justice Jain highlighted that the intention to abet suicide is a crucial element required for conviction under Section 306.
### Review of Evidence
The High Court observed that the trial court had dismissed the discharge application without a thorough examination of the evidence. Witness statements did not reveal any clear instigation or intentional aid leading to the suicide.
### Supreme Court Precedents Cited
Citing several Supreme Court judgments, Justice Jain reiterated that mere harassment or casual remarks made in the heat of a quarrel cannot be interpreted as criminal abetment unless it is proven that such acts left the victim with no option but to take their own life.
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This ruling underscores the necessity of proving intentional abetment in cases of suicide related to domestic disputes and clarifies the legal boundaries concerning marital quarrels under IPC Section 306.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/marital-quarrels-don-t-amount-to-suicide-abetment-allahabad-high-court/story
