After Man Set Himself On Fire, P&H HC Makes Woman And Her Alleged Lover’s Anticipatory Bail Absolute in Abetment Case

Ankit died by suicide on 15 April 2026 after setting himself on fire. Before his death, he recorded two videos naming the petitioners.

His sister’s complaint alleged that Kajal, with Dilbag and another person, had threatened and harassed Ankit, including by threatening false criminal proceedings and demanding money.

An FIR was registered under Sections 108 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS).

The petitioners sought anticipatory bail under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS). They joined the investigation under interim orders of the Court; the State and complainant opposed making those orders absolute.

Section 482 BNSS empowers the Court to grant anticipatory bail, subject to the statutory conditions in Section 482(2) BNSS.

The alleged offence was under Section 108 BNS, with Section 3(5) BNS also invoked in the FIR.

In considering anticipatory bail, the Court referred to Gurbaksh Singh Sibbia v. State of Punjab and Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi) as addressing the relevant considerations, and to Deepak Aggarwal v. Balwani Singh as providing guidance on anticipatory-bail decisions.

The Court emphasised that the assessment is case-specific and that it was not appropriate, at this stage, to lay down broader parameters for abetment of suicide or decide the merits.

The Court considered the videos recorded by Ankit, their transcript, the WhatsApp chats, and the allegations in the FIR.

It observed that the matter prima facie appeared to involve a relationship that had deteriorated, while leaving for trial whether the alleged threats to implicate Ankit and his sister in a criminal case amounted to abetment of suicide.

The petitioners had joined the investigation, had clean antecedents, and no recovery was required from them. In those circumstances, the Court found that their custody would serve no useful purpose, without expressing an opinion on the merits.

and made absolute its interim orders dated 10 August 2026 and 24 August 2026, subject to compliance with Section 482(2) BNSS.