Suicide abetment: No bail for ‘rare owl traders’

The Bombay High Court refused bail to two persons in a case of abetment to suicide, in which the accused had promised to provide a ‘ten nail owl’ to the deceased, promising that it would create the magic of falling currency notes on him.

Justice Prakash Naik turned down the plea filed by Akash and Sanjay Gajdhane, who were arrested by Badlapur police for cheating a man in March. The accused had raised doubts over the authenticity of the suicide note left behind by the deceased. However, the court said: “The suicide note is written in such details it is not possible to any other person to fabricate it within a day after the alleged incident.”

As per the prosecution case, when the accused promised the deceased the owl, he was induced to part with Rs 15 lakh. However, he was not provided the ten nail owl, which led to him being frustrated. When he demanded, he did not get this money back, and he was threatened that a case will be registered against him under the Black Magic Act. Tired, the victim committed suicide by hanging himself in his house.

The police recovered the suicide note in which he had named the accused as the reason for the extreme step taken. Accordingly, the police arrested the accused and they have been in custody since March. The accused claimed that there were discrepancies in the evidence collected by police, and doubts were raised over the source of money that was paid. Also that the police filed a charge sheet and said no further custody was required.

But the police opposed the pleas. The court, after going through the evidence, noted: “The suicide note clearly states as to manner in which the victim was humiliated and as to how induced the part of the amount under the pretext that he would be provided owl which showers currency notes. Suicide note also indicate that victim was insisted for return of money. He did not want to burden on the family. In the light of material collected, no case for grant of bail is made out.”