Abatement - Concept
Abatement - Concept
Abatement - Concept
INTRODUCTION
A crime may be committed by one or more persons involved in crime then their liability depends
upon the extent of their participation. Thus this rule of joint liability comes into existence. But
there is an important fact which is that the law has a knowledge about the abettor, who has given
help to another in crime. This rule is very ancient and was applied in Hindu Law also. In English
Law, criminals are divided in four categories, but in India there is only one distinction between
the doer and his helper who is known as abettor. The crime of abetment come under section 107
to 120 of the IPC. Section 107 defines ‘abetment of a things’ and section l08 defines about the
abettor.
2. By conspiracy.
3. By aids.
ILLUSTRATION:-
A Police Officer is authorised by a warrant from a court of justice to apprehend Z. B knowing
that fact and also that C is not Z, wilfully represents to A that C is Z and thereby intentionally
causes A to apprehend C. Here B abets by instigation the apprehension of C.
A newly wedded girl died of burns. The father of deceased had stated in FIR that the
deceased committed suicide because of harassment and constant taunt for insufficient
dowry. It was held by the SC that the deceased had committed suicide at the instigation
of her husband and in laws and it was not a case of accidental death.
2. ABETMENT BY CONSPIRACY
The second clause of this section states that a person abets the doing of a thing who engages with
one or more other persons in conspiracy for the doing of that thing. If an act or illegal omission
takes place in pursuance of that conspiracy and in order to doing of that thing then it is called
abetment by conspiracy. If an act or illegal omission takes place in prurience of that conspiracy.
ILLUSTRATION:-
A concerts with B a plans for poisoning Z. It is agreed that A shall administer the poison. B then
explains the plan to C mentioning that a third person is to administer the poison, but without
mentioning A’s name. C agrees to procure the poison and deliver it to B for the purpose
explained ‘A’ administers the poison and Z dies. Here A and C have not conspired together, yet
C has therefore committed the offence and is liable for punishment.
The deceased & his wife had strained relationship. The wife had illicit intimacy with the
accused. The deceased was scheduled to go to ‘Sadhu” on a particular day. The wife told the
accused about this programme even though she knew that the accused was waiting for the
opportunity to kill her husband and taking the opportunity he killed him. It was held that the
wife was not guilty of abetment by conspiracy, even though her conduct was open to censure.
3. ABETMENT BY AIDING:
The third clause of the section says that,” A person abets the doing of thing who intentionally
aids by any act in the illegal omission of the doing of that thing.
EXPLANATION :- Whoever either prior to or at the time of the commission of an act does
anything in order to facilitate the commission of that act thereby facilitates the commission
thereof, is said to aid the doing of that act.
ILLUSTRATION:- If the servant keeps the gate open of the master’s house so that thrives may
enter and thieves do not come, he cannot be held to have abetted the commission of theft.
Case law: Ram Kumar v. State of H.P. 1995. The 19 years old prosecutrix was taken to the
police station by the accused that kept watch over her husband while she was raped by the co-
accused. In this custodial rape the accused turned deaf ears towards the cries of the prosecutrix
and did nothing to help her. The SC implied abetment of the accused for abetment of rape.
1. When he abates the commission of an offence: Example: Where he abets ‘B’ to commit
murder of ‘Z’. Here A is an abettor.
Example: “A” abets B, a five year old child, to commit murder of Z, he is still an abettor under
the 2nd category because even though the child will not be guilty of anything by virtue of the
protection given to him by section 82 of the IPC.
EXPLANATION 1:- The abetment of the illegal omission of an act may amount to an offence
although the abettor may not himself be bound to do that act.
Explanation 3:- It is not necessary that the abettor & the person abetted must have same guilty
intention or knowledge.
ILLUSTRATION:- ‘A’ with a guilty intention, abets a child or a lunatic to commit an act which
would be an offence if committed by a person capable by law lof committing an offence and
having the same intention as A. Here A, whether the act be committed or not is guilty of
abetting an offence.