The Chhattisgarh High Court has upheld the acquittal of three accused in a case of abetment of suicide, observing that the prosecution failed to establish any evidence of harassment, cruelty, or instigation leading to the death of the woman.
Justice Radhakishan Agrawal, presiding over the Bench at Bilaspur, delivered the judgment on October 6, 2025, dismissing the State’s appeal against the acquittal order passed by the Sessions Judge, Rajnandgaon, in Sessions Trial No. 89 of 2014.
The case arose from the tragic death of Teja Sahu, who died by self-immolation on October 16, 2014, just a month after giving birth to her first child. The prosecution alleged that her husband, Kamlesh Kumar Sahu, and his parents subjected her to cruelty, physical assault, and mental harassment, forcing her to commit suicide.
According to the police, Teja Sahu had been on maternity leave, and her naming ceremony was scheduled for the day after her death. It was alleged that the accused family pressured her to abort her pregnancy and later harassed her over the child’s custody.
However, the trial court had acquitted all three accused after finding no credible evidence of harassment or abetment, a decision that the State of Chhattisgarh challenged before the High Court.
Justice Agrawal noted that the prosecution witnesses, including the deceased’s father, maternal aunt, and grandfather, had made significant admissions during cross-examination that weakened the case.
The Court found that the deceased had been undergoing psychiatric treatment both before and after her marriage. Witnesses, including her relatives, admitted that she suffered from mental illness and was treated by a psychiatrist, Dr. Pramod Gupta.
The Bench also pointed out that neither the deceased’s parents nor her relatives lodged any police complaint or reported any form of harassment during her lifetime. The statements recorded by the Executive Magistrate on the day of the incident contained no allegations of cruelty or torture against the accused.
Referring to precedents such as M. Arjunan v. State (2019) and Mariano Anto Bruno v. Inspector of Police (2022), the Court reiterated that conviction under Section 306 IPC requires proof of intentional instigation or abetment to commit suicide, which was completely absent in this case.
The High Court upheld the trial court’s findings, holding that there was no direct or circumstantial evidence suggesting that the accused had abetted or instigated the deceased to commit suicide.
“The evidence shows that the deceased was suffering from mental illness and no complaint of cruelty or harassment was ever made before the police or community authorities. The trial court’s conclusion acquitting the accused is justified and calls for no interference,” the Court observed.
Consequently, the State’s appeal against acquittal was dismissed.
Case Details : ACQA No. 178 of 2015, State of Chhattisgarh vs Kamlesh Kumar and Others
For Appellant : Dr. Surendra Kumar Dewangan, Panel Lawyer.
For Respondents : Mr. Rahil Arun Kochar, Advocate on behalf of Mr. Arun Kochar, Advocate.