Bombay HC grants anticipatory bail to man accused of abetting suicide

The Bombay high court (HC) has granted anticipatory bail to a man accused of abetting the suicide of a woman

The Bombay high court (HC) has granted anticipatory bail to a man accused of abetting the suicide of a woman.

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The single judge bench of justice Prakash Naik, while hearing the anticipatory bail application of Samir Shaikh on June 11, was informed by advocate Sana Khan that the complaint by the brother of the deceased woman wherein her client has been named as the abettor is not true as the records prove otherwise. He said that though the man was serenading the woman, it was the constant harassment of her husband that pushed her to take the drastic step, and hence the man should be protected from arrest.

In the complaint lodged at Nehru Nagar police station on January 23, the deceased’s brother alleged that as Shaikh had been calling his sister repeatedly, it led to the strains in the relation between his sister and her husband, as a result of which his sister committed suicide.

However, while arguing for Shaikh, Khan submitted that the relationship between the deceased and her client were consensual and the woman had indicated that her husband intended to kill her. Khan further submitted that there was no suicide note and there were no previous complaints by the victim against the applicant, as there was no evidence to establish that the applicant had instigated or abetted the victim to commit suicide.

However, additional public prosecutor YM Nakhwa for the state submitted that the husband had alleged that Shaikh was constantly harassing his wife by calling her.