Supreme Court Quashes Abetment of Suicide Charge Against School Correspondent.
22 May 2025
Criminal Appeals & Suspension of Sentence >> Criminal Law
The Supreme Court has discharged an appellant who was accused of abetting the suicide of a student under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The case of Thangavel v/s The State, Through Inspector of Police & Another, stemmed from an incident where the appellant, a school and hostel correspondent, scolded a student based on a complaint from another student. Following the reprimand, the scolded student took his own life.
The appellant argued that his actions were a justified disciplinary measure by a guardian figure to maintain peace in the hostel and that he had no criminal intent for the student to commit suicide. The State of Tamil Nadu's counsel conceded that there were no valid grounds to charge the appellant under Section 306 IPC.
The Court, noting the absence of the complainant, ruled that no normal person could have foreseen such a tragic outcome from a disciplinary scolding. They concluded that no mens rea (criminal intent) could be attributed to the appellant regarding the abetment of suicide. Consequently, the appeal was allowed, and the charge framed under Section 306 IPC was quashed.
Section 306., Indian Penal Code - 1860