'Will Not Accept': Karnataka High Court Questions State For Filing Closure Report In FIR Over Abetment Of Student's Suicide

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday (March 5) orally questioned the State for filing a B-report in a FIR registered against a school and its teachers for abetment of a student's suicide. 

During the hearing the petitioner's counsel submitted that the petitioner's child was subjected to harassment by fellow students. It was submitted that the mother had given a statement however the same was not considered by the police.

It was submitted that the harassment meted out by other fellow students were clearly brought out in the complaint registered by the mother. It was also submitted that on several occassions the mother had complained to the school that her child is being harassed by other students and the administration or the principal did not take any action on that. 

The court was hearing a woman's plea challenging a trial court order which had accepted the B report filed by the police in an FIR registered under Sections 306(abetment to suicide), 34(common intention) IPC lodged against the management, principal and teachers of a school where her daughter was studying. The plea thus sought a direction to reject the B report filed by the police

During the hearing Justice M Nagaprasanna orally said, "How can you file B report in 306?...What investigation have you conducted? Student is 15 years old...Very invocation of Section 306 is wrong. It should be Section 305...B report we will not accept at all. It should be investigated...We will pass orders...Get the records". 

For context Section 306 IPC pertains to abetment of suicide. Meanwhile IPC Section 305 (Abetment of suicide of child or insane person) states that if any person under 18 years, or any insane person, delirious person, or any person in a state of intoxication commits suicide, then whoever abets the commission of such suicide shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years.

The court was told that the petitioner had filed a protest petition against the second B report which came to be rejected. The court was told that the student who had allegedly committed suicide was 15 years old. 

The petitioner's counsel further said that the respondents had contended that the student was scoring was scoring less marks and due to "depression" she had committed suicide. 

The counsel however said, "There is no such thing. She has been a very brilliant student and she has been doing very well in exams. She has present in all the classes. Whereas her co-classmates they have been getting poor marks. Despite the same the contention they are giving that she was not good in studies". 

Meanwhile the respondents' counsel said that the complaint was filed after delay. 

After hearing the matter for some time the court listed the matter on March 11 orally indicating that it shall pass orders and called for the records. 

Case title: SMT. KAVITHA MURTHY v/s THE STATE OF KARNATAKA & Others

CRL.P 17375/2025