New Delhi, Oct. 8 -- The Supreme Court held that a person cannot be prosecuted for abetment of suicide merely because they, as a live-in partner, ended the relationship or refused to marry and it was followed by the other partner's death by suicide.

A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran observed while quashing proceedings against six accused, including the deceased woman's partner, his parents, sister and others, in a case that occured in Telangana.

The apex court said there was no material to show that the accused had intended to drive the woman to suicide or had knowledge that their refusal to marry would lead her to take her own life.

"People react differently to situations, and if a breakup ends up with suicide, it ...