HC upholds acquittal of youth charged with abetment to suicide

Team Udayavani, Dec 17, 2019, 3:00 PM IST

Udupi: A single-judge bench of Karnataka high court, headed by Justice Somashekhar, quashed an appeal filed by the state government against acquittal of a Udupi-based man charged with abetment to suicide of his lover.

The case pertains to the 2012 suicide of Rakshita from Udupi after the youth, Tushar Kotian informed her of his decision to go to a foreign country.

Observing that the youth in this case had not encouraged the victim in any manner to commit suicide, Justice Somashekhar upheld the verdict given by the lower court while pointing out that going against a lovers wish does not amount to abetment of suicide, which would need a conspiracy, encouragement to commit the act, deceit and mala fide advice.

The acquitted Tushar and Rakshita were in a relationship since 2010. On November 30, 2012 Rakshita committed suicide out of depression after she came to know of Tushar’s decision to go abroad.

A case under section 306 of Indian Penal Code was filed against Tushar with Udupi town branch police. A trial court hearing the case acquitted Tushar of the charges against him on May 30, 2015 following which the state government filed an appeal in the high court.