Jharkhand High Court today quashed the criminal proceedings instituted against journalist Priyabhansu Ranjan in connection with his journalist girl friend Nirupama Pathak's death in Kodarma three years ago.
Quashing the petition filed by Nirupama's family accusing Ranjan of aid, abetment and instigation of her alleged suicide, the single bench of Justice R R Prasad observed that continuing of criminal proceedings against Ranjan would be an abuse of the process as no offense was made against him.
The surroundings, circumstances and analysis of SMS exchange between the two also did not make out a case under IPC 306 (abetting the commission of suicide), the court observed further.
Priyabhansu has been on bail in connection with the case while the Supreme Court has rejected the bail petitions of Nirupama's father and brother.
Soon after Nirupama's body had been found at her residence in Chitra Gupta Nagar Colony in Kodarma on April 29, 2010, Ranjan had accused her family of killing their daughter as they were opposed to their marriage.
Subsequently, a case of murder was filed against Nirupama's mother Sudha Pathak and she was arrested. She got bail after remaining three months in judicial custody in 2010.
Later, the police had said a forensic laboratory in Kolkata found that the suicide note was signed by Nirupama, and ruled out murder. At the behest of Nirupama's family, a case of rape and abetment to suicide was filed against Ranjan.
