CBI filed its chargesheet in this case in November 2017.
New Delhi:
The Central Bureau of Investigation has secured a conviction in an ‘abetment to suicide’ case – widely seen as one of the most difficult to prove – after a court in Puducherry sentenced a man, Pradeep, to five years’ rigorous imprisonment over the 2012 death by suicide of Priyadarshini, a MBBS student.
The court also levied a fine of Rs 5,000 on Pradeep, who is a resident of Puducherry’s Thirukannur.
What Was The Priyadarshini Suicide Case?
The CBI had contended Pradeep broke up with Priyadarshini, who hailed from Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati district, and then sent a text message casting aspersions on her character and that the message had led to the young woman killing herself. A key piece of evidence was that text message, which was recovered by a team of forensic scientists from Chennai.
The CBI had registered the case in April 2015 on orders from the Madras High Court after being directed to take over a complaint registered at Puducherry’s Thirubuvanai Police Station.
The CBI filed its chargesheet in November 2017.
The complaint was registered by Priyadarshini’s father and it alleged that the young woman – a fourth year student at a medical college and a hostel resident – was in a relationship with Pradeep.
The father claimed Pradeep later started avoiding her and this led to differences between them, and that the fateful message sent by the former and led to his daughter dying by suicide in May 2012.
Priyadarshini’s body was found hanging from the ceiling fan in her hostel room.
Why Are ‘Abetment To Suicide Cases’ Difficult To Prove?
According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau for 2021, the conviction rate in such cases is less than 20 per cent. To secure a conviction in an ‘abetment to suicide case’, the prosecution must prove intention of the accused to force a person to commit suicide.
This intention must be proven mens rea, or beyond doubt. The term refers to the mental state of the accused – i.e., a conscious awareness that their action will produce the consequence.
Another Example Of Abetment To Suicide Case
Last month ex-Haryana minister Gopal Kanda was acquitted in a similar case – the death by suicide of airhostess Geetika Sharma. Special Judge Vikas Dhull also acquitted a co-accused Aruna Chadha in the case, saying the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond all reasonable doubts.
This was despite the fact Ms Sharma had named the former minister in her suicide note.
READ |Â Haryana MLA Gopal Kanda Cleared Of Charges In 2012 Airhostess Suicide Case
The court had also held the prosecution must prove, beyond doubt, that the accused had instigated the death in question and that that instigation must be the proximate cause of the suicide.
