Madhya Pradesh HC : Wife's Domestic Chores Demand Not Abetment of Suicide

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh high court has ruled that ‘trivial domestic matters’ such as not preparing food on time and compelling (the husband) to do household chore by the wife cannot be considered a case for abetment of suicide of husband.

Overturning the lower court’s verdict in the case related to the death of a man by suicide in Rajgarh under Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh in December last year, the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court held that ‘The allegations which have been made against the petitioner are trivial in nature’ which generally take place in every house.

The case involved a couple from Rajgarh who married on April 27, 2022. The couple has a daughter.

The husband committed suicide on December 27, 2023.

Police later filed an FIR against Sangeeta charging her of abetting her husband’s suicide.

The lower court had held her guilty in the case.Sangeeta later moved the high court challenging the lower court’s verdict.

Discharging Sangeeta of the charges, the bench of Justice Hirdesh observed that “Not preparing the food in time, compelling the husband to do work of mopping, cleaning as well as washing clothes, dancing in the marriage of her own brother, compelling the deceased to immediately go back to their place of resident i.e Pali Project and going to the market along with other persons for shopping purposes, cannot be said to be an abetment (of suicide)’.

Earlier, the petitioner argued that her actions fell within bounds of marital duties and did not amount to abetting suicide of her husband.

The prosecution (the state) however argued that her behaviour, including compelling her husband to do household chores and other domestic things had caused distress of the deceased, leading him to commit suicide.