The Supreme Court has ruled that a person can be convicted of abetting suicide if their act of instigation was intense enough to leave the victim with no other choice, and if such instigation was in close proximity to the suicide date. The court quashed criminal proceedings against an individual charged with abetment of suicide, as the incident in question happened 15 days prior to the deceased’s suicide. The bench emphasized that the accused must have mens rea (intention) to instigate the deceased to commit suicide. Furthermore, the act of instigation must be of such intensity that it is intended to push the deceased to a position where they feel they have no choice but to take their own life. The court stated that such instigation must be in close proximity to the act of committing suicide. In the case at hand, the appellant’s alleged act of instigation occurred more than two weeks before the suicide, making it impossible to conclude that the appellant instigated the deceased to commit suicide. The court also highlighted the importance of the alleged act of instigation being done in close proximity to the date of suicide. The bench added that the appellant’s actions, in this case, cannot be considered instigation to commit suicide as they were demanding the repayment of a loan using abusive language. The link between the appellant’s actions and the deceased’s suicide was not established. This ruling clarifies the criteria for convicting a person of abetting suicide and underscores the need for instigation to be intense and in close proximity to the suicide date.