Bombay High Court Rejects Discharge Plea in Nafisa Joseph’s 2004 Suicide Case Against Ex-Fiancé Gautam Khanduja
· India · Hindustan Times, Indian Express
The Bombay High Court has refused to discharge businessman Gautam Khanduja in the 2004 abetment-to-suicide case involving former Miss India winner Nafisa Joseph, ruling that sufficient grounds exist to proceed against him. Joseph, who died by suicide in July 2004 after their engagement was called off, had alleged Khanduja refused to show divorce papers and humiliated her, leading to her third failed engagement. The court stated that whether Khanduja’s actions amounted to abetment could only be determined during trial, rejecting his counsel’s argument that his refusal to marry alone was insufficient. Khanduja, then 31, had earlier been engaged to Joseph, 24, before the relationship collapsed amid claims his mother contradicted his divorce status. The case, filed under Section 306 of the IPC, remains pending after the trial court rejected his discharge plea in 2005.
Why it matters
The ruling ensures that Khanduja faces trial, potentially holding him accountable for Joseph’s death and offering closure to her family. It also underscores the legal complexities of abetment cases, where emotional distress and perceived humiliation can be pivotal in determining culpability.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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