Actress Prathyusha’s death: SC acquits partner, who survived 2002 suicide pact, of murder charges; upholds abetment conviction

The investigation was initially mired in controversy following a postmortem report by Dr B Muni Swamy, who claimed the actress had been strangulated and gang-raped. The claims, made public via a television interview before official forensic results were received, sparked massive public outcry and led to a CBI investigation.

However, the top court noted that a “wealth of ocular and medical evidence” proved death by poisoning rather than homicidal violence.
Expert committees from AIIMS and state authorities confirmed that the external injuries cited by Dr Swamy were actually therapeutic artefacts—marks left by medical procedures like catheters and DC shocks used by doctors to save her life. The court sternly criticised Dr Swamy’s conduct as “unprofessional” and “irresponsible,” stating his actions “eroded trust” and “distorted public perception”.

Addressing the legal nature of a suicide pact, the bench ruled that the surviving partner remains legally culpable. The court held that a reciprocal commitment to die provides the “necessary impetus” for the act, thereby constituting abetment under Section 107 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). “Each party’s resolve… is reinforced and strengthened due to the participation of the other,” the judgment noted.

Rejecting Reddy’s defence of “accidental consumption” of the pesticide, the court directed him to surrender within four weeks to serve a two-year sentence. The appeals filed by Prathyusha’s mother, Sarojini Devi, alleging murder and rape were also dismissed as being “devoid of legal or factual foundation”.