Karnataka HC refuses to quash case against man accused of stalking, sabotaging suicide victim's marriage prospects

The Karnataka High Court recently refused to quash a criminal case filed against a married man accused of persistently stalking a nursing student, making romantic advances toward her despite her rejection, and sabotaging her marriage prospects, before she died by suicide last year [Naveen G v State of Karnataka].

Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that the allegations against the accused, if true, would constitute the offence of suicide abetment.

"The complaint and the charge sheet, if read as a whole, prima facie depict the deceased being progressively cornered—her refusal allegedly ignored, her privacy threatened, her workplace invaded by pursuit, her matrimonial prospects repeatedly sabotaged and her apprehension that she would not be permitted to lead a life independent of the petitioner allegedly reinforced by his continued conduct ... The Court today is not declaring the petitioner guilty; it is only declining to declare the prosecution groundless," the Court held.

The Court, therefore, dismissed the petition filed by the accused man to quash the suicide abetment case against him.

The petitioner was a married man and the father of two children, according to the complaint. The complaint was filed by the mother of a nursing student who died by suicide in July last her. The complainant said that the accused had been persistently stalking and trying to force the complainant's daughter to marry him, eventually driving her to die by suicide.

The complainant said that although her daughter expressed her disinterest in pursuing any relationship with the accused, he followed her to her workplace, forced her to meet him at places chosen by him, persuaded her to accompany him to Dharmasthala, and took photos of her. The photos were then allegedly used by the petitioner to threaten the victim's marriage prospects.

The petitioner is further alleged to have contacted prospective grooms and told them that he was in a relationship with the victim, causing marriage negotiations to collapse.

The Court noted his conduct is alleged to have tarnished the victim's reputation in society, which then allegedly led her to take her own life on July 29, 2025.

Notably, the Court also observed that the victim had attempted to die by suicide once before, on July 5, 2025. After she survived this suicide attempt, elders intervened and the petitioner allegedly promised not to harass her her again. Based on this assurance, a criminal complaint filed at the time against him was withdrawn.

However, he allegedly continued tormenting her weeks later, before she died by suicide on July 29, 2025.

The deceased woman's mother then filed the present complaint against him, and the accused man was booked for abetment of suicide.

On August 18, the High Court rejected his plea to quash this case and said it must proceed to trial.

"The Court today is not declaring the petitioner guilty; it is only declining to declare the prosecution groundless ... The life of a young woman has come to an abrupt end. The prosecution alleges that, before that end came, there was a sustained trail of pursuit, coercion, intimidation and interference with her freedom to choose the course of her own life," it noted.

The Court also factored in that the accused man's harrasment is alleged to have continued even after the deceased woman's first suicide attempt.

"If these allegations ultimately stand proved, the earlier attempt to commit suicide assumes considerable significance. It was a warning written in unmistakable terms. The allegation is that, despite such warning, the petitioner persisted with the very conduct that had earlier driven the deceased to the brink," the Court said.

Advocate Lakshmikanth K appeared for the petitioner.

High Court Government Pleader Rashmi Patel appeared for the State.

Advocate Raksha Keerthana represented the complainant.

If you or anyone else you know are facing mental health issues or having suicidal or self-harming thoughts, please access the helpline number given below:

iCall - 9152987821 (Health Helpline - Mon—Sat, 10 AM—8 PM. Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Assamese, Kashmiri.)

Helpline: 9820466726

[Read Order]